OneTurianWoman
by IAmElvie
Summary: Romance between Garrus Vakarian and Commander Shepard. Spanning all ME games and beyond. Will vary from cannon. I was asked to make one w/only Garrus, so revamped TurianMine. Took out a lot of stuff and added new. I am writing for fun. I'm not an English major, editor, or writer, there will be mistakes.
1. OntTurianWoman Ch 1-9 To Night B4 Ilos

Garrus-femShep

Chapter 1

Normandy SR1

As she was heading to the cockpit of the ship, she heard Joker over the intercom.

"The Arcturus Prime Relay is in range. Initiating transmission sequence," Joker stated.

"Commander," Corporal Jenkins acknowledged as she passed him.

"We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination," Joker stated.

As she continued around the around the CIC and up the main walkway, Joker came on again. "The Relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector….All stations secure for transit."

She entered the cockpit and stood behind Joker watching their approach.

"The board is green. Approach run has begun," Joker stated. "Hitting the relay in 3…2…1.."

The ship was pulled into the relay, a bright light, a sense of nothing, and then they shot out of the next relay.

Joker continued, "Thrusters…check. Navigation…check. Internal emissions sinks engaged. All systems online. Drift…just under 1500k."

"1500 is good. Your Captain will be pleased." The turian, Nihlus, gave Shepard a long, hooded look, nodded and left.

"I hate that guy," Joker said.

"Nihlus paid you a complement and…you hate him?" Kaidan asked.

"What I did wasn't just good…it was incredible," Joker said with pride. "Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him onboard."

"The Council helped fund this project; they want to keep an eye on their investment," Kaidan pointed out.

"Yeah, that is the official story…but, only an _idiot_ believes the official story." Joker smirked at Kaidan.

She turned to Joker, "They don't send Spectres on shakedown runs."

"So, there's more going on here than the captain is letting on," Joker said snidely to Kaidan, who rolled his eyes.

"Kaidan, why are you in the co-pilot's chair?" Shepard asked curiously.

"Just wanted to get a little practice with reading the nav boards, it's fascinating…and, to get a better look when we hit the relay," he admitted sheepishly.

She could certainly understand that, Joker had the best view on the ship. "Joker, why were you announcing every move we made earlier?" Shepard asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The Captain wanted me to go by the book and make a good impression with Nihlus on board." Joker shrugged.

Captain Anderson's voice came on the line. "Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing."

"You get that Commander?" Joker asked.

"Hard to miss Joker... He sounds angry. Something must have gone wrong with the mission." Shepard sighed and turned to leave. She heard Kaidan and Joker continue to banter as she headed down the walkway.

"Pff…Captain always sounds that way when he's talking to me," Joker replied.

"I couldn't possibly imagine why," Kaidan said disdainfully.

She shook her head in exasperation. As she got closer to the CIC, she heard Navigator Pressly.

"I'm telling you he just marched by like he was on a mission," Pressly said.

"He's a Spectre, they're always on a mission," Engineer Adams replied.

"And we're getting dragged right along with him!" Pressly said bitterly.

"Relax! You're going to give yourself an ulcer," Adams told him.

She approached Pressly.

"Congratulations Commander. Looks like we had a smooth run. Are you heading down to see the Captain?" Pressly asked.

"From what I just heard, you don't care much for our turian _guest_."

"Don't much care for turians. My grandfather fought in the First Contact war against them. We lost a lot of friends to the turians," he admitted.

"That was 30 years ago. You can't blame Nihlus for that," she told him.

"I know. But, it still makes me nervous to have a turian Spectre onboard. We're an Alliance vessel, human military…and Nihlus doesn't have to answer to the Captain, he can operate outside the law," Pressly said in frustration and then sighed. "Something is off about this mission, Commander. Everybody feels it."

"Yes, something is different. What are your thoughts about it?" she asked him.

"If we're just testing stealth systems, why is Captain Anderson here? And Nihlus? He's a turian Spectre….an elite operative. Why would a Spectre be on a shakedown run…it doesn't make any sense. I think they are using the shakedown as a cover." Pressly shook his head in confusion.

Interesting, she thought. He was picking up on the same signals she was. "Do you have concerns about the Captain?" she asked him.

"Not at all, but he is a top Special Forces officer. You don't send a soldier like that on a do-nothing mission. Plus, he's treating this shakedown run far too seriously. Something big is going on," Pressly told her.

"I'm sure I'm about to be enlightened. Good instincts, Pressly."

Pressly nodded, saluted, and returned to his duties.

As she continued towards the comm room she overheard Jenkins and the doctor speaking.

"I grew up on Eden Prime, Doc, nothing ever happens there. No reason for a Spectre to go there. And why is the Captain agreeing to it? Something has to be going on," Jenkins told Chakwas.

"That's crazy. The Captain's in charge here. He wouldn't take orders from a Spectre," Chakwas said.

"Not his choice doc, Spectre's don't answer to anyone. They can do whatever they want. Kill anyone in their way." Jenkins could barely contain his excitement.

"Ha! You watch too many spy movies Jenkins," Chakwas scoffed at him.

"What do you think, Commander?" he asked as she approached them. "I sure hope we won't be staying on Eden Prime too long. I'm itching to see some real action."

"I sincerely hope you're kidding, Corporal," replied Chakwas. "Your 'real action' usually ends with me patching up crew members in the infirmary," the doctor retorted.

"You need to calm down, Corporal. A good soldier stays cool even under fire," Shepard told him.

"Sorry, Commander. I've never been on a mission with a Spectre on board."

"Just treat this like any other assignment. You'll do fine," Shepard said.

"Easy for you to say. You proved yourself in the Blitz, everyone knows what you can do," Jenkins said with respect. "This is my big chance. I need to show the brass what I can do."

"You will prove yourself with time and experience. You're young still. If you jump the gun and do something stupid you could end up with your ass shot off," Shepard warned.

"Don't worry ma'am. I'm not going to screw this up," Jenkins said with confidence.

Shoot me now…please, thought Shepard. Was I ever that young and stupid? It seemed the older she got, the less patience she had with the younger troops. Well, I might as well go in as well armed as possible. She turned to the doctor. "What can you tell me about Nihlus?" she asked her.

"Turians are generally well respected by the other races. They have the largest fleet patrolling Citadel space. They don't always get on well with us though. Some people find them too rigid or still blame them for the First Contact War. As far as Nihlus goes, he usually only speaks to the Captain," Chakwas explained.

"I heard Nihlus took down an entire enemy platoon by himself!" Jenkins said with excitement.

"What have you heard about the Spectres?" she asked the doctor.

"Only that Spectre agents work directly for the Citadel Council, either alone or in small groups. They're a shadow organization with a mandate to preserve and protect galactic stability."

"At _any_ cost," said Jenkins." They are above the law!"

"Why aren't there any human Spectres?" she asked.

"We've been trying for years to get a human accepted into their ranks, but Spectres are usually chosen from one of the Council races: turian, asari, or salarian," the doctor informed her.

"Hey, Commander – you'd make a good Spectre," Jenkins tossed out. "You're a war hero that held off an entire enemy fleet during the Blitz _single_-handed!" he said in awe.

"Technically I used both hands and even my feet at times, Jenkins….even once used the leg of a dead – Sorry…that kind of got away from me," Shepard apologized.

Jenkins mouth dropped open then slammed shut. He laughed nervously.

"The Spectres aren't interested in recruiting humans, no matter how capable," Chakwas pointed out.

"How do you control agents with unlimited power?" Shepard asked.

"I suppose the Council could revoke their status. It would probably then become a Citadel Security Services problem," Chakwas said.

"No C-Sec grunt could handle a Spectre gone rogue. They'd have to send another agent to take them down," Jenkins corrected Chakwas.

"Tell me about Eden Prime, Jenkins," Shepard said.

"It's peaceful, Commander. It doesn't have city noise or pollution. It was too quiet for me. That's why I joined the Alliance. Even paradise gets boring after awhile."

"I should go. The Captain's waiting for me," she said and headed around the partition to the comm room.

Nihlus was in the comm room alone.

"Commander Shepard. I was hoping you'd get here first. It will give us a chance to talk," Nihlus told her.

"What do you wish to discuss?" she asked him.

"I'm interested in the world, Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful."

"I've never been there, but I've been told it's a paradise," she replied.

"Yes…Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity can establish colonies and keep them safe. But, how safe is it?" he asked pointedly.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Is there something you are trying to tell me?"

"Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place."

She didn't care for the direction this conversation was taking. She couldn't decide if he was mocking or threatening her. She focused her senses and his aura popped into view. Dark blues with reddish swirls. Attractive, honest, but aggressive and hard, like he was. She wished she could touch him ungloved. It would be so much easier to get a bead on where he was going with this if she could read his emotional state. But that required skin on skin contact and she was pretty sure that would not go over so well with him. She sighed and released her focus, dropping the sight.

"Is the Alliance truly ready for what all of this entails?" he asked with some concern. _Are you ready_ is what he really wanted to ask.

"I think we are ready to be given the chance to prove ourselves. And…Yes, Nihlus, the galaxy can be dangerous. But it can also be beautiful and seductive…keep the danger in mind...be prepared for it. But don't close your eyes to the beauty and seduction or you will find that you have lost far more than any relative safety you might have gained." she said…keeping her eyes locked on his.

"You have an interesting philosophy, Shepard. I'd heard you were…different." He paused for a moment, looked towards the door, and then walked up to her. "When all of this is…behind us," he said softly. He ran his armored hand lightly down her cheek. "I would like to see if we could be…more," he said, looking at her intently.

"More," she said slowly, trying to wrap her head around what he was saying. "I did not think turians liked humans."

"I am not your typical…turian. I don't play by the book. I don't follow the rules. I judge people by their merits not their race. You are a strong, talented and beautiful woman, Shepard. I see much in you to admire and much more I would like the chance to learn." He never wanted to beg for anything in his life, but he thought he just might beg for this...for her, if he had to. Spirits willing, she would see him the way he saw her.

She stripped her glove off and brought her hand to the side of his neck. His emotions were stormy, though you could not tell by his cool demeanor. His convictions were strong. She knew there was more he was not saying, but what he did say was truthful. He liked her…he wanted her. She had to admit he was good looking for a turian, he had attractive chocolate coloration, a long, swept back crest, and beautiful bright green eyes…he was strong, confident...and he intrigued her. "I would like that too, Nihlus," she said with a smile.

He nodded; his mandibles gave a small flare. He took her hand between his and touched his forehead to hers. "Then I hope we can put this behind us quickly." His head jerked up when he heard footsteps. He gave her hand a small squeeze, released it, straightened his shoulders, turned and walked away from her.

David came in quickly. "I think it's time we tell the Commander what's really going on."

"This mission is more than a simple shakedown run," Nihlus told her, his eyes taking in her every reaction.

"Yes, that was obvious," she said.

"We needed to make sure the stealth systems were operational because we are making a covert pick up on Eden Prime," Anderson told her.

"Is there a reason I was left in the dark?" she asked.

"The mission was need to know and now you need to know. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed a Prothean beacon," Anderson paused. "This is big, Shepard. Last time humanity made a discovery like this it jumped our technology forward 200 years. We need to bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study."

"This goes beyond human interests alone, Shepard. This discovery could affect every species in council space," Nihlus said. "However, the beacon is not the only reason why I'm here."

"Nihlus wants to see you in action, Shepard. He's here to evaluate you."

She turned to face Nihlus. "I guess that's why I've been seeing so much of you lately. Will I be seeing… _more_ of you?" She raised her eyebrow and gave him a slow wink.

Nihlus caught his mandibles flaring wide, clamped them tight and cleared his throat.

"The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come," Anderson explained.

"You alone held off an enemy assault during the Blitz. You showed courage and incredible skill. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres," Nihlus told her.

"I'm…thank you, Nihlus," she said, giving him slow nod.

"I've been watching you…your career for awhile now, Shepard. I _had_ to meet you," he said pausing… willing her to know what he was really trying to say. "I needed to find out if you were Spectre material. We are an elite group and it is rare to find an individual with the skills we seek. As the Captain said, I need to evaluate you. Eden Prime will be the _first_ of several missions…_together_."

"You will be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get it aboard the ship. Nihlus will observe the mission. We are hoping the beacon will tell us more about the Protheans, they were technologically advanced, yet they mysteriously vanished 50,000 years ago," Anderson explained to her.

"Their Citadel is the very heart of galactic society. Without their mass relays interstellar travel would be impossible. We all owe the Protheans a great debt," Nihlus said.

"True, if we hadn't discovered those Prothean ruins on Mars, we'd still be stuck on Earth," Anderson acknowledged.

"Captain, we've got a problem," Joker broke in. "Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!"

"Bring it up on-screen," David Anderson ordered.

Nihlus slipped in behind Shepard, took her hand and laced his fingers with hers. She gave his hand a squeeze. His other arm, hidden from Anderson, stole around her waist and pulled her against him. He wished like mad he was not wearing armor, he needed to feel her. Her scent tantalized him, toyed with his senses. He closed his eyes and breathed her in. His hand splayed across her belly, caressed it as he held her tight.

Shepard relaxed against him and sighed. Being in his arms felt better than expected. She cherished this stolen moment in the dark and looked forward to what they would share in the future.

Heavy gunfire filled the screen. Yelling. The camera bounced haphazardly. It was hard to get a clear picture of just what was happening. A man shouted they were taking heavy casualties and needed evac, just before his head exploded. In the background a massive, tentacled ship landed at Eden Prime and the video feed cut out.

"Satus report!" Anderson demanded.

"Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area," Joker told him.

"Take us in Joker, fast and quiet," Anderson said. "This mission just got a lot more complicated."

Nihlus released her and stepped back.

"Grab your gear and meet us at the Cargo hold," he told Nihlus.

Nihlus shot her a look. The naked longing in his eyes, thrilled her before he veiled it, nodded and left.

"Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, Shepard. You're going in." When the door closed behind Nihlus, David pulled her in for a hug. "You stay safe out there, child. It is important you bring that beacon in, but don't take reckless chances with your life."

"I'll do my best, David," she assured him.

"Your best has always been good enough for me, child." He nodded then released her.

They met up with Anderson at the Cargo hold once they were suited up. "Go in heavy and head straight for the dig site, Commander," he told her. "Nihlus will scout out ahead. He'll feed you status reports throughout the mission. Otherwise, radio silence."

Shepard closed her eyes and focused her sight. A rainbow of auras came into view. Before every mission she would evaluate auras and take a good luck kiss from the person with the brightest aura during that mission. It was only a friendly peck, but she knew it brought her the best luck possible. Now, that didn't mean nothing ever went wrong or no one ever got hurt, but it did mean that they had the best chance for everything to end successfully. Today, Nihlus' blue and red aura shined the brightest. But she was unsure how a Turian would feel about a kiss or the fact that it was in public. So, she evaluated Kaidan and Jenkins. Kaidan's blue aura was the second brightest. She wasn't impressed with Jenkin's rolling green aura…it was more dull that it should be. If it were her call, she would not be taking him on this mission.

Nihlus came up to her; she felt his hand on her hip, the gentle squeeze he gave her. "Let me see your omni-tool." She flipped it on and held it up for him. He hit a few keys and nodded. "It is my private, encrypted channel. We don't know what's down there and I don't want to make it too easy on them." He said giving her a knowing, hot look. He managed to sneak in a hand squeeze as he breezed past her on his way off the ship. Stars…he's good, she thought. I didn't even see him reach for my hand.

Chapter 2

Eden Prime

Shepard took a quick look around once they were top-side. It was beautiful, in a rocky and harsh way. She couldn't see the _paradise_ yet, but then she'd only seen one tiny piece of the place. She didn't get too terribly far when she noticed strange floating creatures above a nearby swamp.

"What the hell are those?" Alenko asked.

"Gas bags," Jenkins stated. "Nothing dangerous…unless you get too close when they are killed."

Shepard turned to her squadmates. "I know neither of you have been with me long. I'm not sure how much you've heard about my…eccentricities." She noticed they both were flushed. Ok…so they know. "I guess I can tell by your reactions that you've heard something. I can see auras. If I picked my own team, auras would be the deciding factor on who would go with me. Ignoring what the aura says can lead to more unpleasant…outcomes. I also have a good-luck system that works for me. Things can still go wrong, it's not a guarantee, but things would go a lot worse if I ignored my system. The person on my team with the brightest aura I kiss for good luck. No worries…it's a peck, not a sexual harassment molestation," she said, forcing a straight face.

"I'm sure there are those of us that wouldn't mind the molestation…ma'am," Jenkins said.

She saw the cocky grin on his face, but his flush was over the top and she just couldn't keep it together any longer. Her commander mask slipped, she threw back her head and laughed, flashing them both a radiant smile.

Both men stood there, eyes wide, mouths open, and forgot to breath. Her smile nearly brought them to their knees. When they both remembered to breath, they were seeing stars.

She walked over to Kaidan. "Nihlus had the brightest aura, but he left too quickly. So, now you are my good luck giver today, Kaidan. Will you accept my good luck kiss?" she asked him gently.

Kaidan flushed hotter. He didn't trust himself not to sound like he was hitting puberty, so he nodded consent.

She moved in close, put one hand behind his head and the other on his cheek. She pulled him down and slid her lips softly against his. "Thank you," she said before pulling away.

Kaidan's heart pounded within his chest. That was the most sensual kiss he'd ever received. He looked over at Jenkins, who was dripping with envy. He gave a small smile and winked at him.

They headed left down a well used trail and spotted a burning structure in the distance.

"My god…what happened here?" asked Jenkins.

"Shepard," came the private message from Nihlus. "Are you topside yet?"

"Yes, Nihlus. We can see something burning in the distance. Doesn't look good."

"It gets worse the further in you go. This place got hit hard. Hostiles everywhere. Stay sharp…and be careful," he said concerned.

"I'm the one with a team covering my ass…you're the one that needs to be careful, Nihlus."

"Absolutely…I have a lot to look forward to," he said suggestively. "Nihlus out." Nihlus caught himself smiling again. This time he didn't have to worry about looking the fool. The dead weren't talking. It had been years since he had been interested in someone like this. While he had nothing against humans, he'd never considered being with one before. She was just so vivid, so alive, so fascinating. He had never met anyone like her. He was drawn to her courage, her strength…her vital spark. Initially he had been uncertain what his reception would be, he had assumed she would decline his invitation. Life, however, was too damn short not to try to get what you want out of it. You might be pleasantly surprised…as he had been.

As the path began to turn to the right they passed over a few fried corpses. Shepard got a bad feeling. Something wasn't right. She held up her hand to stop her squad. She motioned for them to get to cover. Jenkins wasn't fast enough. He was caught out in the open by two drones and she saw him fall. Damn it, Jenkins! She sent an overload charge at them and lobbed out Grim, her modified AI drone. Another drone popped up and Grim sent a charge at the drone that caused it to explode spectacularly. Grim returned to her side. "Do you require further assistance, Ari?"

"Yes, please remain active, Grim. Scout ahead, find Nihlus and stick with him, send back any relevant footage."

The drone flashed and rolled in agitation. "I do not like leaving you unprotected, Ari."

"I have a team, a combat drone and a turret, I'm hardly defenseless. Now scram."

Kaidan bent low over Jenkins and ran his hand over Jenkins' sightless eyes, closing them. "They ripped right through his shields. He never had a chance."

"We'll make sure he has a proper funeral when the mission is complete. But right now I need you to stay focused on the mission."

"Yes, ma'am," Kaidan replied.

Continuing along the path, skirting some large outcroppings, they were ambushed by a few more drones. They were no better than flies. Went down easy, if you could catch them, but annoyed the hell out of you if you couldn't. They'd just cleaned out that squad of drones when Nihlus commed her again.

"I've got some burned out buildings here…a lot of bodies, Shepard. I'm going to check it out. I'll catch up with you at the dig site," Nihlus said. "Oh, and I appear to have a new sidekick. One of your toys?"

"Yeah, his name is Grim. If you need him to camouflage, just let him know. He'll obey you so long as it doesn't countermand me…. Jenkins fell. He was out of cover when the drones attacked. I knew I should have kissed you," she said in frustration.

"Kissed me? You wanted to kiss me?" His heart slammed in his chest. He had never kissed anyone before, but as he spent time observing Shepard on the ship and realized he had feelings for her, he researched human courting vids. The kiss idea was kind of strange; his mouth was not built like hers, but he wanted to try it with her…

Kissing him. That was an interesting concept. Turians didn't have soft lips; she was curious what it would be like to kiss him. She hadn't originally meant it that way, she'd been thinking of the good luck kiss…but now the idea was intriguing. "Would it have offended you?" she asked him.

"Not at all, Shepard. It is an enticing notion. I would like to kiss you." At least no one was around to see just how true that statement was. "But what does kissing me have to do with Jenkins?"

"Kissing can bring good luck," she told him.

"Interesting concept…Then I wished you had kissed me too…for good luck's sake…and my own." He chuckled.

"Nihlus…be careful…I have a bad feeling. My instincts are never wrong. That's one thing you should know about me as my…mentor. Keep your guard up and…take care."

"I will, Shepard. I – there is much I want to say...we'll talk more tonight."

The path curved around to the right. Huge rock monoliths peppered the ground like giant teeth. They took down a few more drones, rounded a bend and saw a lone female soldier in a standoff against a couple of geth. What were the geth doing here? They rarely left geth space.

"Double time!" She yelled and they picked up speed to get to her in time. She signaled Kaidan to cover and darted behind the same outcropping the female soldier was using. She sent an overload chain, tossed her turret, which sent scorching flames and bullets at the geth. Kaidan overloaded another geth that popped out of cover and they took them down under a haze of bullets.

"Thank you, Commander, wasn't sure I was going to make it out of that pickle…Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212, are you the one in charge here ma'am?" Ashley asked.

"Yes, I'm Commander Shepard. Are you hurt, Williams?"

"No, ma'am. Just a few scrapes and bruises. The others weren't so lucky…Oh man, we were sent here to secure the beacon site and were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit. We tried to get out a distress call, but they jammed our communication. I've been fighting for my life ever since."

Shepard looked around. "Where is the rest of your squad?" she asked her.

"We tried to double back to the beacon, to secure it, but we walked into an ambush. I don't think any of the others…I think I'm the only one left," Ashley said solemnly.

"It's ok, Williams. It wasn't your fault. Sometimes the best we can do is survive, and I'm glad you did." Shepard tried to reassure her.

"Yes, Ma'am. We held our position as long as we could, but the geth overwhelmed us."

"The geth haven't been seen outside the Perseus Veil in over 200 years, why are they here now?" Kaidan asked.

"Perhaps for the same reason we are. Not sure how they found out or why they would care, but the timing cannot be coincidence," Shepard pointed out.

"The dig site is close. Just over the ridge. The beacon might still be there," Ashley said, pointing the direction they should take.

"What else do you know about these geth?" Shepard asked.

"Just what I remember from school. They're synthetics. Non-organic life-forms with limited AI programming created by the quarians a few centuries ago. They were supposed to be a source of cheap labor, but they became too intelligent. When the quarians tried to shut them down they fought back and drove the quarians into exile," Ashley explained.

"I meant _these_ geth. Do you know where they came from?" Shepard corrected.

"I think they came from that huge ship that landed," Ashley said.

Shepard nodded. She assumed that to be the case as well. She just wanted to make sure there were not more than one group of enemies they had to fight.

"Do you know what happened to the researchers at the dig site?" Shepard asked.

"No, Ma'am. They had a camp near the beacon. The 232 was with them. Maybe their unit fared better than mine."

"Care to help us with a little clean up?" Shepard asked her.

"Absolutely, ma'am. Time for a little payback," Ashley responded with a curt nod.

"Move out," Shepard commanded.

As they continued down the incline towards the settlement, they passed several huge spikes that had been stabbed through human torsos. The bodies appeared to be in various stages of decomposition. It was horrifying to see and she could only hope they had died before they were impaled.

At the bottom of the incline, a handful of geth popped out of cover to take pot shots at them. Between the three of them, they went down fast. She flipped her omni-tool on and scanned the area, no life signs and no synthetic signatures.

The dig site was well lit up, but there was no beacon and no Nihlus; just more of those freaky spikes with human remains on them.

"This is the dig site. The beacon was right here. It must have been moved."

"Here's your sign," Shepard said, and then covered her mouth. Damn old earth vids.

"What sign, Commander?" Ashley asked confused.

"Tracks!" she said pointing to the faint scuff marks. "Signs it had been moved," she said, thankful for the quick wit fix. Say that three times fast, she thought with a snicker.

"Moved by whom? Our side or the geth?" Kaidan asked.

"The research camp is at the top of this ridge. Maybe they will know the answers," Ashley replied.

Shepard commed Nihlus. "We're at the dig site, Nihlus. I hate to state the obvious…but you aren't here. What happened?"

"Sorry, there was a slight change of plans. There is a small space port up ahead. I want to check it out. I'll wait for you there," Nihlus responded.

"Nihlus…something is very wrong here. It is like a cold in my bones that I cannot get rid of. Come back to me; let us finish this together."

Nihlus smiled. It warmed his heart that she cared about him. It gave him hope that they could have more… be more…together. "Your concern touches me," he said softly. "But you needn't worry. I have worked alone for many years, vela. I'll be fine. Besides, I'm not exactly alone with Grim at my side. You should be here soon. I'll be waiting for you."

Vela? What or who was that? "You have me there, Nihlus. I know much of the turian language…but, vela is a mystery to me."

"Your translator couldn't translate it? I guess that's not too surprising, it comes from a very ancient turian dialect. I will tell you about it tonight," he said.

"I don't have a translator. I don't have any implants," she admitted.

"That's right. I remember reading that in your file. I thought it was an error in the report. You _are_ a remarkable woman, Shepard. I can't wait...Damn - "

She heard gunfire. "Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Yes…fine. Be careful. There are human bodies…husks…they come down off the spikes and attack. A head shot kills them faster. I'll see you soon, vela. Be careful. I hear something – Nihlus out."

"Keep your eyes peeled. Nihlus just informed me that human…husks come down off those spikes and attack. Be ready for anything. He also said to aim for the head." Her omni-tool beeped and footage displayed on the screen of Nihlus's and Grim's fight with the husks. She showed it to her team.

"They're alive?" Ashley gasped. "I thought they were just left there as a warning."

They moved up the ridge. As they approached the camp they could see smoke and debris.

"Looks like they hit the camp hard," Ashley said.

"Keep alert. It's a good place for an ambush," Kaidan replied.

Three spikes began to retract, the impaled bodies flailed. Sparks shot into the husks and they contorted, falling off the spike stands. For a moment they ran around mindless, and then their heads swung in towards her squad. They advanced…Blasts of electricity coming off of them, strong enough to do some serious damage if they got too close.

"Oh God, they're still …alive," Kaidan said horrified.

"We were warned, Kaidan, and we saw the footage." Shepard reminded him.

"I know, but seeing a thing in a vid and seeing it with my own eyes are two different things," Kaidan said.

To stay on the safe side, she kept her team at a distance and took them down with bullets.

As they walked further into the camp, she noticed other dead husks – the ones that Nihlus and Grim confronted. She approached a pair of mobile work stations. She felt a small pull and followed her loot radar – or lootdar into the closest mobile center. She found a stash of guns, which she didn't need and omni-gel, which she could never have enough of.

The second mobile center was locked. She hacked the door and found some of the missing researchers.

"Humans! Thank the Maker! I'm Dr. Warren and this is Dr. Manuel," the woman said.

"Hurry! Close the door! Before they come back!" said the distraught man.

"Don't worry. I'm Commander Shepard. We'll protect you," she assured them.

"Thank you. I think we'll be okay now. It looks like everyone's gone," Dr. Warren said.

"Dr. Warren…you're in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon?" Ashley asked.

"It was moved to the space port this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help pack up the camp." Dr. Warren replied. "When the attack came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide. We could hear the battle outside. Gunfire. Screams. I thought it would never end. Then everything went quiet. We stayed…too afraid to move, until you came along. They saved our lives."

"Saved? No one is saved. The age of humanity is ended. Soon only ruin and corpses will remain," Dr. Manuel said frantically. "Agents of the destroyers, Bringers of darkness. Heralds of our extinction."

Shepard ignored the ranting. She was getting a little worried about Nihlus. "Did you see a turian in the area?" Shepard asked.

"I saw him. The prophet. Leader of the enemy. He was here before the attack," Dr. Manuel said.

"That's impossible. Nihlus was with us on the Normandy before the attack. He couldn't have been here," Kaidan said.

"No, but another turian might have been," Shepard responded.

"I'm sorry; Manuel is still a bit…unsettled. We've been hiding in here since the attack. I know I haven't seen any turians," Dr. Warren told them.

"What do you know about the beacon?" Shepard asked her.

"It's some kind of data module from a galaxy wide communications network. It's remarkably well preserved. It could be the greatest scientific discovery of our lifetime!" Dr. Warren said excitedly.

"We have unearthed the heart of evil. Awakened the beast. Unleashed the darkness," Dr. Manuel cried out.

"What's wrong with Dr. Manuel?" Shepard asked.

"Dr. Manuel has a brilliant mind. But he's always been a bit…unstable. There is a fine line between genius and madness," Dr. Warren replied.

Shepard wasn't too sure she agreed with that statement. She was a genius and she didn't think she was anywhere near mad.

"Is it madness to see the future? To see the destruction rushing towards us? To understand there is no escape? No hope? You can't stop it! No one can stop it! They are coming! They bring the darkness of eternity! No, I'm not mad…I'm the only sane one left!" Dr. Manuel said, his voice rising.

Shepard closed her eyes and focused her sight. She opened them and saw Manuel's beautiful sky blue aura with swirls of yellow, tails of green where the colors collided. She did not see madness in his aura. She approached Dr. Manuel slowly. She pulled off her armored glove. "Dr. Manuel, would you be willing to remove your glove and shake my hand. The touch will allow me to see the truth. Will you let me touch you?" she asked him calmly.

Dr. Manuel bobbed his head and removed his glove. Shepard took his hand and gasped as the jolt hit her. Emotions were chaotic, thoughts were flying. She almost felt like she couldn't breathe. She felt Kaidan's touch on her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Commander?" he asked concerned. She nodded to him and then concentrated on Dr. Manuel, sent him soothing thoughts. "What did the turian you see look like?"

"He wore silver armor, had long cheek crests and wore a black cloth over his head crests. His glowing blue eyes could be seen from a distance," he said in an almost dream like state.

"That's very good. You said he was leading the enemy. What enemy?" she asked softly.

"The geth. But they are just the agents of the destroyers! The destroyers have seen us and they are coming. Our extinction is at hand!" Dr. Manuel's voice began to rise in fear.

Shepard sent more calming thoughts through her touch and he settled back into a dream-like state. "Who are the destroyers?" she asked.

"The ancient ones. I only see the dark. They bring the dark. They will devour us." Dr. Manuel's head dropped. "I have seen it," he whispered.

Dr. Manuel was not mad…but what he had seen had not left him completely sane either. She looked the doctor in the eyes and nodded. "You are not crazy, Dr. Manuel. I believe you. They_ are_ coming. But know this…I will _not_ let them devour us. I _will_ fight. I _will_ win." She sent calm, confident thoughts and dropped his hand.

"Thank you, Commander Shepard," Dr. Manuel stated calmly. "I do not know why I think you can beat such astronomical odds, but I do. You have given me…hope… freedom…clarity. Thank you." He turned to Dr. Warren. "I believe we have some packing to finish, are you ready to proceed, Dr. Warren?" He turned and walked to the back of the mobile center to complete the packing.

"I haven't seen him that calm and relaxed in, well…ever. He walks lighter, like a great burden has been lifted off of him. I don't know what you did to him, but thank you," Dr. Warren said gratefully.

Shepard nodded. "All I really did was listen. I should go." She turned and exited the mobile center.

"Wow, that man was cracked. Not sure how you held your patience so long," Ashley said.

Kaidan shot Ashley a dark look.

"What, LT?" Ashley asked.

"He wasn't crazy Ashley. He was seeing more clearly than anyone. I felt the truth of it when I touched him, when I read his feelings. Enough. Let's move out," Shepard said, heading towards the space port.

Ashley looked over at Kaiden in question.

"I will tell you about it later," he told her.

Nihlus heard movement, he darted behind cover. "Camouflage, Grim." He pulled out his assault rifle, took a deep breath and darted out of cover, gun raised, target in the cross hairs. Then, he stopped. It was his old mentor Saren Arterius. "Saren?" Nihlus asked in shock.

Saren turned around slowly. "Nihlus," he said softly.

"This isn't your mission, Saren. What are you doing here?" Nihlus asked.

Saren walked over to Nihlus, put a hand on his shoulder, "The Council thought you could use some help on this one," he said as he walked past him. Damn it, Nihlus! This was not how he wanted things to go down. But no one could know he had been here.

Nilus looked off into the distance. "I wasn't expecting to find the geth here. The situation's bad."

"Don't worry," Saren and then he turned and pulled his gun, aiming at the back of Nihlus' head. "I've got it covered."

Nihlus flipped on his omni-tool and commed Shepard. "Vela, I'm - "

Saren pulled the trigger. An electrical bolt shot out of nowhere and slammed into him. His nerve endings sizzled. Acid burned into his armor. He caught sight of the drone, kept on the move to try to dodge the vicious attack, and sent a volley of bullets into it until it disintegrated. He stood for a moment to try to catch his breath. He'd never seen a drone like that before. It was clearly intelligent; it anticipated his moves and fought him with a skill that was unheard of. The drone had carried an amazing arsenal of weapons and at one point he was sure the drone was going to take him down. He wished he could have captured it and studied it. He shook his head, slapped at the fire still dancing along his arm, and cursed in frustration.

A sigh escaped Nihlus as he fell to the ground. As light faded to dark, his last thought was of a kiss.

"Nihlus! Shit. Nihlus, we're coming…hang on." Saren heard the woman say. Damn it Nihlus – you brought your vela? A part of him wanted to stay and find out who she was. But he did not want to have to kill her. He'd taken enough from the man. Saren gave one last look at Nihlus, turned and walked away.

She heard Nihlus' voice. She heard the gun shot. She heard the thud of a body hitting the ground. She heard the silence. "Nihlus! Shit. Nihlus, we're coming…hang on…Double time!" Shepard yelled. Human husks were on the prowl. She looked longingly in the direction of the spaceport and sighed. Her OT chimed and she released Grim again. "Grim – get to Nihlus."

The drone rolled and flashed. "Ari - "

"Now!"

She lobbed her combat drone and turret and took down three husks that had been advancing on them.

She and Ashley drew their snipers and took out the two geth at the space port that were firing at them and two more husks that were making their way up the hill.

They heard a banging and walked towards the shed. She hacked the locked door and humans came out with their hands up. "Don't shoot …we're coming out – we aren't armed," a man said.

"Is it safe…Are they gone?" asked a frightened woman.

"I'm Commander Shepard; the enemies have been cleared out. You are safe."

"Those things were crawling all around the shed. We owe you are lives," Cole said.

"What happened?" she asked.

"We had been working the crops when the ship showed up and we ran for the shed. The rest of the crew had been over by the spaceport where the ship landed. The ship had been emitting some kind of signal when it descended. Sounded like the shriek of the damned. Only it was coming from inside your own head," Cole told them.

A multitude of techno-babble raced through her head. "It was probably trying to block communications," Shepard explained for simplicity's sake.

One of the farmers, Blake, felt guilty and talked Cole into turning over the military items that someone at the spaceport was smuggling off planet. A few more delicate arm twists and they discovered the man's name was Powell.

She nodded and left. Hang in there Nihlus, she thought. We're almost there. She skirted left around the outcroppings and up the stairs, where she found Nihlus sprawled on the ground, Grim floating impotently nearby. She ran over and knelt beside him. She scanned him with her omni-tool. No signs of life. She removed her glove and placed her hand on his neck. Nothing. She pushed out and tried to merge their auras…she wanted to see if there were any after effects left behind that could tell her what happened. Nothing. No pulse. No emotions. No aura. Emptiness. She bent over and placed a kiss on his mouth. "I'm so sorry I didn't do that sooner…maybe none of this would have happened." She looked down at him sadly, then pulled back, gently placed her hand over his sightless eyes and closed them. "Sleep well, Nihlus. You will be remembered," she said softly.

"Grim, what happened?"

"I tried to tell you, Ari.."

A noise to the right brought her to attention. She spun and pulled her gun.

"Wait! Don't – Don't shoot! I'm one of you! I'm human," Powell said holding his arms up.

"Sneaking up on us that way nearly got you killed," Shepard said, her patience gone.

"I'm sorry; I was hiding from those creatures. My name is Powell; I saw what happened to your...boyfriend. The other turian shot him."

"What happened?" she asked.

"The other turian got here first. He was waiting when your boyfriend showed up. Your boyfriend called him Saren. He relaxed. He let his guard down…and Saren shot him in the back of the head…I'm just lucky he didn't see me behind the crates," Powell explained. "That drone probably saved my life. It distracted Saren, might have even hurt him before it was taken out."

"He wasn't her _boyfriend_!" Kaidan corrected with indignation.

"Yes, Kaidan, he was." Their relationship might have been brand new, but she was not going to deny Nihlus. Not now. Not ever.

Kaidan looked at her in shock. "I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am." He liked the Commander. Though he wasn't sure how he felt about her and the turian. How could he have missed that? He also knew he wasn't really sorry and that sat wrong with him. But how could he be? He was drawn to her himself.

"So am I, Kaidan. He deserved better." Like she told Kaidan, she would mourn later. It was her fault. She should have kissed him. She ignored her system and he paid the price. Why hadn't he listened to her? Why hadn't she tried harder? She knew better than to ignore her feelings. Saren, she thought. I _will_ find you. I _will _take you down. Once the vow was made, she returned her focus to the mission. "We were told a Prothean beacon was brought to the spaceport. What happened to it?"

"It's over on the other platform. Probably where that Saren guy was headed. He hopped on the cargo train right after he killed your boyfriend." Powell told her. "Everything has gone to Hell since we found that damned beacon. First the mother ship showed up then the attack. They killed everyone. Everyone! If I hadn't been napping behind the crates I'd be dead, too! The ship made a horrible noise that woke me up and I've been hiding ever since."

"Cole told me you were his smuggling contact at the docks. Are there any weapons around her that we can use in the fight?" Shepard asked him.

"A shipment of grenades came through last week. Nobody notices if a few small pieces go missing from the military orders," Powell admitted.

"You greedy son of a bitch! We're out here trying to protect your sorry ass and all you can think about is how you can rip us off?" Ashley fumed.

"I never thought you'd actually need the grenades! Who'd ever attack Eden Prime? We're just a bunch of farmers," Powell said holding his hands up in submission. "Here," he said, handing the grenades to Shepard. "They're yours. Take them. My smuggling days are over. I swear."

"A lot of marines died here, Powell. Those grenades might have saved their lives. If I were you, I'd think of some way to make it up to them," Shepard told him.

"Okay. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Really. I'm sorry," Cole said, feeling miserable.

"Move out. We have a beacon to secure."

She gave Nihlus' body a last sad look and a slight bow as she passed it and headed towards the train. "Grim, go find Saren. Record what you can." Geth were on the landing waiting for them. Their warbling had given them away. She scanned the immediate area and 3 synthetic pings were picked up on radar. Shepard told them to each pick one. The farthest one was hers. She pulled out her sniper and took the head clean off its body. Beautiful. The skirted the geth bodies and headed down the stairs.

She pulled up at the bottom and peaked around the railing. She activated both her omni-tools. A large geth destroyer was taking shots at them. She sent an overload charge at it, followed up with an incineration blast. Kaidan sent a wave at it, toppling it over. They finished him off with a volley of bullets.

They stuck to cover and made their way onto the train car. It was crawling with geth. She held her team back. "Take a knee!" She yelled and everyone pulled their snipers. One geth broke away and was heading right towards them. "Geth charge! Bring him down." Several sniper shots later, he was down right in front of them. That was closer than she liked. Probably should have just used her tech, but she loved getting sniper practice in. Despite being an engineer, she was the best shot on the ship and intended to keep it that way.

She took a knee and proceeded to take out the rest of the geth with her team. Poor Kaidan did not seem too enthused with using his sniper, but it was good practice for him. He'll get over it.

Saren left the beacon; he had the information he needed. He approached one of the geth. "Set the Charges. Destroy the entire colony. Leave no evidence that we were ever here." He regretted the need to kill Nihlus' vela. A small part of him hoped she'd departed Eden Prime, but he could still hear the gunfire as she approached. It was better this way. There would be no possible witnesses left.

When the train came to a stop Shepard noticed a large bomb sitting right next to the platform. Shit! She knelt over it; her hands flew across the holo-pad as she hacked into the bomb to deactivate it. "If this bomb is any indication…we don't have a lot of time if there are other bombs. Move out!"

Grim sped back to her. "Saren has departed, but there are three more bombs on the other side."

"Thanks, Grim. Go harass the geth."

They ran up the stairs. As soon as she reached the top she yelled, "Take a knee!" Everyone pulled out their snipers. There were geth right across the way from them and another group cater-corner. After a volley of sniper fire Ashley scanned the area, "All targets down."

They picked up speed as they searched for any more possible bombs. Half way across the platform, she yelled "Take a knee!" And they pulled their snipers again. There were a group of geth on the bridge they needed to cross…or would gaggle of geth work? She laughed at her the direction her mind had gone as she took down another geth. When the bridge was clear, they headed out again.

On the other side of that bridge, Grim sent her the locations of the three remaining bombs. She deactivated them and headed back to a stairwell she had passed. Near the bottom of the stairs she threw her hand up to halt her squad. The lower platform was littered with geth and husks. Time to take the trash out.

"Have at it, Grim." She lobbed a combat drone and tossed a turret at the bottom of the stairs to keep the husks from coming up. She turned on both OTs and fired off cryo and incineration blasts, watching each husk freeze and explode. Now that was fun. When her party favors were gone, she helped her team finish off the geth.

Her lootdar sent her to both sides of the platform where she was able to get her hands on some more goodies. Then she headed over to get a look at the beacon. The whole beacon glowed with a green energy; it was also emitting a hum that seemed to interfere with her transmission. She moved further away from the beacon to get better reception and commed Joker. "Normandy, the beacon is secure. Requesting immediate evac."

"This is amazing. Actual working Prothean technology. Unbelievable," Kaidan said.

"It wasn't doing anything like that when we dug it up," Ashley replied and headed back over to talk to Shepard.

"Something must have activated it," Kaidan said as he moved a bit closer to get a better look at it.

"Roger, Normandy. Standing by." Shepard turned around and saw the Kaidan approaching the beacon. She felt a wave of trepidation. "Kaidan – No!" She saw his head start to swing in her direction, but it was too late, the beacon began to flare and started pulling him in. Not on her watch. Flat, elongated disks emerged from her boots and propelled her at Kaidan. She grabbed him tightly and flung him away from the beacon with all her strength. He hit the ground and rolled. She pivoted mid-air, but the beacon grabbed her. The force of the pull was greater than her propulsion system could handle and the disks slid back into her boots.

"Shepard!" Kaidan yelled, trying to get to her.

Ashley grabbed hold of him tightly. "No! Don't touch her! It's too dangerous, LT," Ashley warned him.

A tight pressure built up within her as the beam lifted her into the air. Damn me…this is going to hurt. The pressure continued to build inside her head until she felt a pop, a sharp pain shot through her skull and pictures began pouring into her mind. The pictures kaleidoscoped faster and faster, not making much sense. She saw blood, gaping mouths, torture, torment, death. She saw machines or...synthetics. She saw destruction and ruin. The pictures were dark… alien… terrifying…

The beacon's energy grew brighter and brighter still until it shattered in a wave of energy so strong that Shepard was propelled away from it with great force. She slammed into the ground, the world went black. The beacon smoked and died.

Chapter 3

Eden Prime Aftermath

Saren was aboard the massive Reaper ship that landed on Eden Prime. He called ship Sovereign. He was sitting in his chair contemplating the day's events.

Benezia, and asari elder, or matriarch, approached him. "We identified the ship that touched down on Eden Prime. The Normandy. A human Alliance vessel. It was under the command of Captain Anderson. They managed to save the colony."

"And the beacon?" Saren asked brusquely.

"One of the humans may have used it," she replied.

Saren jumped up from his chair, an angry snarl raged out of him. This cannot happen. They cannot find out what he's doing. They would try to stop him…prevent it. No! His fury was all encompassing. He smashed and threw anything in his reach; growling and snarling…he wanted to break something...pulverize it into a bloody pulp. He stormed over to Benezia and grabbed her head between his taloned hands. Just a little pressure is all it would take…No...no...he can't…he needed her. He released her head and backed away before he was tempted to do something he would regret.

"This human must be eliminated!" he said when he collected himself.

Shepard opened her eyes and blinked. She struggled to sit up. She was on the Normandy. How did she get here?

"Doctor Chakwas? I think she's waking up," Kaidan said relieved.

"You had us worried there, Shepard. How are you feeling?" Dr. Chakwas asked.

"I'm fine now, doc. Fast healer, remember? How long was I out?" she asked.

"About 15 hours. Something happened down there with the beacon."

"It's my fault. I must have triggered some kind of security when I approached it. You had to throw me out of the way," Kaidan said flushing.

"You had no way to know what would happen," Shepard told him.

Kaidan couldn't keep the smile from his face. She forgave him and didn't hold it against him. She was a remarkable woman.

"The beacon exploded. The force of it threw you into the ground and knocked you out. We had to carry you back to the ship," Kaidan informed her.

"Thank you, Kaidan. I appreciate you looking out for me." Shepard turned to the doctor. "How am I looking doc?"

"Physically you're fine. But I detected some unusual brain activity, abnormal beta waves. I also noticed an increase in your rapid eye movements, signs typically associated with intense dreaming," Chakwas explained.

"The beacon showed me a vision…death, destruction…it was horrible to see," Shepard admitted.

"Hmmm...I better add this to my report. It may – Oh, Captain Anderson," Chakwas said.

"How's our girl holding up, doctor?" Anderson asked.

"All the readings look normal. I'd say the Commander's going to be fine," Chakwas stated with a smile.

Anderson nodded and smiled. "Glad to hear it. Shepard, I need to speak with you… in private."

Kaidan stood up straighter. "Aye, aye Captain. I'll be in the mess if you need me." He saluted and sauntered out of the med-bay.

"Sounds like that beacon did a number on you, child. Are you sure you're okay?" Anderson asked concerned.

"I'm sorry about Jenkins. I don't like losing a soldier under my command," she told him.

Anderson waved her off. "I received the reports, Jenkins wasn't your fault. You did a good job, child." Anderson assured her.

"What happened to Williams, can I have her assigned to the Normandy?" Shepard asked.

"She's a good soldier, it's already been done," Anderson replied.

"You said you needed a word, David?" she asked.

"I won't lie to you, child. Things look bad. Nihlus is dead, the beacon destroyed and geth are invading. The council is going to want answers."

"I didn't do anything wrong. The geth were there when we arrived, Nihlus refused to come back to the team, and the beacon couldn't be shut off. The geth would have wiped out the whole colony if I hadn't stopped them."

"I know it's not my business…but was there something between you and Nihlus?" Anderson asked.

"Yes," she replied honestly. "How did you know?"

"I'm not blind, child. Well, that and they spent the last 14 hours decrypting his personal logs," Anderson warned her.

"Well this is incredibly awkward," she said. "We didn't exactly expect things would end the way they did."

"I know, child. If he survived, they never would have looked into his personal files. From what I hear the turian Councilor was rather bent out of shape over it. I doubt you've made a friend in him. Tread lightly around him, child. We need the Council's support." David rubbed her shoulder to try to soften the blow.

"Were they able to find anything on Saren?" she asked hopefully.

"No. He didn't have it activated at that time. They just heard the final shot like you did when he contacted you. Look, child, I'll stand behind you and your report. You're a damned hero in my books. But Saren is what concerns me most. Saren's a Spectre, one of the best. A living legend. But if he's working with the geth, it means he's gone rogue. A rogue Spectre is trouble. Saren's dangerous. And he hates humans," Anderson informed her.

"Why, David?"

"He thinks we're growing too fast, taking over the galaxy. A lot of aliens think that way. Most of them don't do anything about it. But now Saren has allied himself with the geth and it has something to do with that beacon," Anderson said.

"The beacon gave me a vision… I saw synthetics slaughtering people, butchering them. I saw things out of nightmares. Mass destruction," She told him.

"We need to report this to the Council," Anderson said.

"I don't know if that's wise, dad. It was a vision…no more than a dream…though nightmare would be more apt. They'd never believe it," she said.

"We don't know what information was stored in that beacon. Prothean technology? Blueprints for a weapon? Whatever it was, Saren took it and he has an army of geth at his command. You are our only link to that information. I know Saren's reputation. He believes humans are a blight on the galaxy. The attack was an act of war," Anderson said vehemently.

"I _will_ take him down. I've already vowed it. There is no place he can run from me. I _will_ find his synthetic ass," she assured him.

David gave her a thoughtful look. He knew only one way that she could know what Saren looked like. He'd suspected and now he knew. He couldn't protect her before, but he could now. "On your magic broomstick?" Anderson asked with a small smile.

"Funny, dad. I have money, I'll buy a ship…or rent one," she said.

"You'd go AWOL?" Anderson couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice.

"If they did not release me for the mission…yes," she admitted honestly.

"If it comes to that, I will give you leave for the mission." Anderson said solemnly.

"No, David. I would never let you take the heat from the brass for me."

"You wouldn't have a choice, child. I love you. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. But that's a moot point right now. Saren is a Spectre. He can go anywhere, do anything. That's why we need the Council on our side."

"Then I will prove he's gone rogue so the Council will revoke his Spectre status. I just wish...damn it all," she said. It was so easy to fall back into talking to him like she used to.

"I understand, child," he said giving her a direct look.

She stared into his knowing, kind eyes. Eyes filled with love for her and she sighed. "Plausible deniability, dad."

"I know, i just miss...us," he said sadly.

"So do I, dad. So do I." She pulled him into a hug and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips before pulling away. "But I think I can help better than we ever imagined." She activated her right OT and released Grim. "Grim, I'd like you to send all the footage you took to my OT."

"Already done. Good to see you back with us, Ari. You really should have programmed me with more ways to help. I will research the matter. Do I have leave to upgrade?"

Shepard chuckled and shook her head. "You may upgrade any current programming you have, but anything new must go through me first."

"Do you require - "

"No, go do your research, Grim." The drone flashed a rainbow of colors and darted over to one of the medbay terminals.

She flipped on her left OT and pulled up the footage. Her heart squeezed painfully seeing Nihlus' face. She watched again their battle with the husks. She stood stunned as she watched his death play out. It happened so fast; even Grim had been helpless to prevent it. She saw the battle between Saren and Grim. There was a blank in the footage and then she saw Saren in front of the beacon, lifted as she had been. The camera went wonky and distorted, something interfering with the feed. Next thing that could be seen was his release from the beacon. His words to a geth unit would surely seal his fate. "Nailed you, bastard!"

David looked at her and cleared his throat. This was far more than he'd ever hoped. He kissed the top of her head. "We've got him, child. I'll contact the Ambassador and see if he can get us an audience with the Council. We should be there by now. Head up to the bridge and tell Joker to bring us into dock."

As she left the med-bay, Kaidan waved her over.

"Glad to see you're okay, Commander. Losing Jenkins was hard on the crew…and Nihlus...I'm glad we didn't lose you too," he said.

"A lot happened down there. Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah, you never get used to seeing dead civilians. But at least you stopped Saren from wiping out the whole colony," he told her.

"I didn't do it by myself, Kaidan. _We_ stopped Saren," she reminded him. "I'm just sorry we lost Jenkins and Nihlus."

"You did everything right, it was just bad luck." He paused for a moment. "Was it my kiss?" he asked.

"No, Kaidan. To get the best luck, I'd have had to kiss Nihlus, but I didn't and it cost us dearly. If I hadn't of kissed you our luck would have been even worse. Maybe we wouldn't found anyone left alive. Maybe the bombs would have detonated. Maybe you would have died at that beacon. My system works, Kaidan. I know it is hard to wrap your head around. But I learned the hard way that to ignore it is folly…Isn't a chance for good luck better than nothing at all?" she asked.

"Of course, Commander. You can use me for…luck any time you need to," Kaidan said with a flush. He cleared his throat. "If you had gotten your…luck from Nihlus, would Jenkins have survived?"

"I don't know, Kaidan. Jenkin's aura was off; it was duller than it should have been. Maybe he was just more focused on making an impression than the mission. If it was my call, I wouldn't have taken him," she said matter of fact. That too was something she could no longer share with David...a death that so easily could have been prevented.

Kaidan shook his head. "It's been a hell of a shakedown run. Our first mission ends with one Spectre killing another. The Citadel Council is not going to be happy about that. They will probably try to use it to lever more concessions out of the Alliance."

"You've got a good grasp of the situation. Are you a career man?" she asked, more than a little impressed.

"Yeah, my father served too. Made him proud when I enlisted. Did you enlist because of family?" He asked her.

"Yes, both of my parents served the Alliance. I was a space brat. I just got a little more noteworthy than anyone expected." she said.

"Ah, that's right. The Blitz. I imagine that bought you any post in the fleet," he said with a chuckle. "Word has it that we're heading to the Citadel. Can you tell me why?"

"The Captain hopes the Ambassador can get an audience with the Council, to tell them about Saren," she admitted.

"That makes sense. Whatever happens…we'll be ready, Commander."

As she left Kaidan she saw Dr. Chakwas on her way back to the med-lab and stopped to have a quick word with her. She asked her why she chose to join the Alliance.

"I joined right after med-school. I wanted to travel the stars tending the wounds of tough soldiers with piercing eyes and sensitive souls. Turns out military life isn't quite as romantic as I'd imagined. But if I left the Alliance, I'd feel like I was abandoning them."

"I'm concerned about Lieutenant Alenko. I've noticed he tends to rub his head. Is there anything you can tell me?" she asked.

"Alenko has an impressive service record, with over a dozen accommodations, but he tends to keep to himself. Maybe due to the headaches. He has the old L2 implant and there can be…complications. Like severe mental disabilities, insanity, crippling physical pain. There's a long list of horrific side effects. Kaidan's very lucky. He just gets migraines."

She thanked the doctor and turned away. She noticed Ashley standing not far away, looking anxious.

"Commander," Ashley said as Shepard approached her. "I'm so glad you're ok."

"Thank you, Ashley. It is good to see you aboard the Normandy."

"A part of me feels guilty over what happened. If Jenkins was still alive, I might not be here," she said looking down at the floor.

"Not true, Williams. You're a good soldier. You belong on the Normandy. I would have pushed for it regardless of Jenkins," she assured her.

"Thanks, Commander. That means a lot coming from you. I've never met anyone who was awarded the Star of Terra," Ashley said in awe.

"I just did my job, Williams. Anyone would have done the same," she replied.

"Held off an entire enemy platoon? Alone? With all due respect, Commander, I doubt any soldier could have done what you did," Ashley pointed out.

Shepard gave her a small smile. She knew she was different; it just made it awkward and uncomfortable for it to be pointed out. "Things were harsh down there, are you okay?" she asked concerned.

"I will be. It is hard to see innocent people die, but it would have been a lot worse if you hadn't shown up."

"Well, welcome aboard the Normandy, Williams. I think you'll fit right in," Shepard said with a smile.

Ashley shook her head. "Thanks again, Commander. It's nice when someone makes you feel welcome." Now that was a hell of a smile, she thought as she watched the commander leave. If Shepard's smile hit her that hard, it would be real interesting to see what it did to the men.

Shepard nodded and headed to the walk way behind her. She circled around the elevator and took a sharp right up the stairs. She skirted the CIC and made her way up to the bridge and Joker, her team hot on her tail.

"Good timing, Commander. I was just about to take her into the Citadel. See that taxpayer money at work."

They flew out of the relay and in through the Citadel's open arms, circling around a nearby ship.

"Look at the size of that ship!" Ashley said in awe.

"The Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel fleet," Kaidan said respectfully.

"Citadel Control, this is SSV Normandy requesting permission to dock," Joker said.

"Clearance granted, Normandy. You may begin your approach. Transferring you to an Alliance operator." Citadel Control responded.

"Normandy, this is Alliance Tower. Please proceed to docking bay 422."

"Roger, Alliance Tower. Normandy out." Joker signed off.

Chapter 4

The Citadel

Ambassador Udina stood toe to toe with the holographic council members. "This is an outrage! The Council would step in if the geth attacked a turian colony!" Udina raged.

"The turians don't establish colonies on the borders of the Terminus Systems, Ambassador," Valern, the salarian Councilor replied.

"Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the Traverse," Tevos, the asari Councilor pointed out.

"What about Saren? You can't just ignore a rogue Spectre. I demand action!" Udina said sternly.

"You don't get to make demands of the Council, Ambassador," Sparatus, the turian Councilor said.

"Citadel Security is investigating your charges against Saren. We will discuss the findings at the hearing. Not before," Tevos stated before the Council winked out.

"Captain Anderson. The Council is not happy about you accusing Saren of treason. Saren is their top agent," Udina informed Anderson when they walked into the Human Embassy.

"Saren needs to be stopped. The Council has to listen to us!" Shepard interrupted.

"Settle down, Commander. You've already done enough to jeopardize your candidacy for the Spectres," Udina reprimanded her. "You should have proven yourself on Eden Prime. Instead, Nihlus is dead and the beacon destroyed!"

"That's on Saren – Not her! Nihlus refused to return, she couldn't force him to! The beacon was overcharged before she arrived! I will not let you pin this on Shepard!" Anderson shot back.

"It's okay, Captain." She didn't want him taking heat for her.

"No, it's not...Commander."

"Come with me, Captain. I want to go over a few things before the hearing. Shepard – you and the others can meet us at the Citadel Tower. Top Level. I'll make sure you have clearance to get in," Udina said, leaving with Anderson.

"And that's why I hate politicians," Ashley quipped.

They headed left out of the Human Embassy and down another flight of stairs. She turned left through a door and down another flight of stairs to the main Embassy floor below. A receptionist pointed her to Avina, a virtual guide, which was able to give her additional information on the Citadel and the Council races. She then headed right in the direction of the Council Tower. Tight buns today, she thought, as they neared the Council Tower elevator. That was a hell of a walk.

"What the hell is that bug-thing over there and what is it doing?" Ashley asked.

"It's a keeper; it takes care of the Citadel. Beyond that, I really don't know," Shepard told her.

They hopped into the elevator and headed to the top floor. During the ride, Ashley asked, "They're not going to ask me any questions are they?"

"I doubt it. We made our reports. Now we just have to trust Ambassador Udina," Kaidan said.

"No we don't, sir," Ashley replied.

"Damned oily assweasle," she mumbled. Kaidan's eyes popped open and Ashley barked out a laugh.

"I see we agree, Commander. And that's a picture I won't soon forget...I will never be able to look at Udina the same again."

"And neither will I. Thank you, Commander," Kaidan said shaking his head.

"That's what I'm here for."

The elevator opened and they moved out towards the Council chambers. Shepard felt a pull. She looked around but, didn't see anything out of place. She usually associated the pull with loot, though sometimes it led her to people in trouble or something she needed to do.

She followed the pull, but she didn't have to go very far. It seemed to be focused on a pair of turians in a heated discussion not far from her. Damn… Shepard felt her nose itch. Her nose loved to butt into other people's business.

As she got closer to the pair, the pull got stronger. It now seemed to be centering on the lighter colored turian on the left. She wished she understood the pull better. Was she supposed to help him? He didn't look like he needed saving and she sure wasn't going to pilfer his pockets for treasure.

"Saren's hiding something! Give me more time. Stall them," the lighter turian said.

"Stall the Council? Don't be ridiculous! Your investigation is over, Garrus." The darker turian gave him a hard look and walked away.

Garrus…that is the name of the turian she was being pulled towards. Even more interesting…he was investigating Saren…the very man she vowed to bring down. Is this why she was being pulled to him? Were they meant to help each other?

Garrus wanted to shake Executor Pallin so bad he could taste it. An alarm bell went off in his head and his senses went on high alert. He swung his head towards the trio of humans nearby. They were heavily armed, which was unusual in itself, but one of them had a presence so strong it nearly caused him to take a step backwards. The woman at the head of the trio drew his attention. She was remarkable for a human. She had a quiet strength that drew him. Her sense of presence captivated him. She looked so familiar to him. Where had he… Spirits! She was _the_ Commander Shepard. Hero of the Blitz! Awarded the Star of Terra! And…she was going after Saren.

"Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian. I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren."

"I was hoping you'd have found something I could use. It is unfortunate that they will not allow you to continue with your investigation," she said.

Garrus folded his arms across his chest and nodded. "I don't trust him. Something about him rubs me the wrong way," he admitted. "But he's a Spectre; everything he touches is classified. I can't find any hard evidence." Frustration laced every word.

"I think the Council's ready for us, Commander," Kaidan informed her.

"Good luck, Shepard. Maybe they'll listen to you," Garrus said.

"Thank you, Garrus. We will meet again." She shook his hand and nodded to him. There was no doubt they'd be seeing each other again. The pull was still there and she needed to find out why.

"Perhaps, we will." He said softly as he watched her walk away, leaving behind a sense of loss that he couldn't fathom.

They skirted the fountain, went up a flight of stairs, skirted the garden and went up another flight of stairs, where David was waiting for her. "The hearing's already started. Come on," he said.

They walked out onto an extended platform and faced the Council.

"The geth attack is a matter of some concern. But there is nothing to indicate Saren was involved in any way," Tevos said.

"The investigation by Citadel Security turned up no evidence to support your charge of treason," Sparatus said matter of fact.

"An eyewitness saw him kill Nihlus in cold blood!" Udina said angrily.

"We've read the Eden Prime reports, Ambassador. The testimony of one traumatized dockworker is hardly compelling proof," Valern pointed out.

"Dr. Manuel saw him too. Described him perfectly. How could he have described him if he hadn't seen him first hand?" Shepard retorted.

"Ah, yes…Dr. Manuel. I've read his file. He is…of a delicate mind." Sparatus replied.

"Have you talked to him recently? I have. He knew exactly what he was talking about. You need to speak to him, not rely on old files," Shepard stated. "Two different people saw Saren there. Two accountings you are determined to ignore. Two people you are determined to malign, just so you don't have to face the truth about your precious Saren…A traitor responsible for Nihlus' death."

"Your posturing is pointless. Nihlus was simply preoccupied with other matters," Sparatus said, shooting Shepard a cold glare. "He didn't give the mission his full attention."

"That is untrue. Nihlus was a respected Spectre, one of the best. He dropped his guard because he trusted Saren, not because he was preoccupied." Shepard was furious that they would turn this on her. That they would say things like that about Nihlus…they knew his record and it should have spoke volumes.

"I resent these accusations. Nihlus was a fellow Spectre. And a friend," Saren responded.

"That just let you catch him off guard!" Anderson retorted.

"Captain Anderson. You always seem to be involved when humanity makes false charges against me…And this must be your protégé. Commander Shepard. The one who let the beacon get destroyed," Saren said snidely.

"The Eden Prime mission was top secret. The only way you could have known about the beacon was if you were there!" Shepard pointed out.

"With Nihlus gone, his files passed to me. I read the Eden Prime report. I was unimpressed. But what can you expect from a human?" Saren sneered.

"Insults? Really? Know this… I am more than you _ever _bargained for. I _know_ you were there and I _will _bring you down," Shepard said coldly.

Saren scoffed. "Your species needs to learn its place, Shepard. You're not ready to join the Council. You're not even ready to join the Spectres!"

"He has no right to say that! That's not his decision!" Udina flared.

"Shepard's admission into the Spectres is not the purpose of this meeting." Tevos reiterated.

"This meeting has no purpose. The humans are wasting your time Councilor...and mine," Saren stated.

"What will it take for you to see the truth? Saren used the beacon. Are you waiting for him to shit Prothean data out his ass? You need to open your eyes."

"Being rude does not help your position, Commander Shepard." Tevos reprimanded her.

"What we need is compelling evidence. So far, we have nothing but the word of two traumatized survivors, which are circumspect at best," Valern stated.

"The Council has found no evidence of any connection between Saren and the geth. Ambassador, your petition to have him disbarred from the Spectres is declined. This meeting is adjourned." Tevos stated.

"I'm glad to see justice was served," Saren replied.

"I _will_ take you down, Saren," Shepard warned.

"You will try…_Vela_," Saren said and winked out.

Sparatus gave a visible start. He shot a thoughtful look at Shepard. There is only one way Saren could know about the 'vela'. "If you find that evidence..."

A cold smile spread over her face. "Oh, I have the evidence."

Tevos gave her a calculated look. "Why did you not provide this evidence from the start?"

"I needed to feel Saren out. I wanted him to lay his cards on the table. Which he did, but only at the last moment. We are all aware that there is only one way he would know about the 'vela', as that was kept off all reports." She flipped on her OT and held it out. "Hold out your OTs". When they complied, she sent the footage directly to them. "Beamed and received."

"…Set the Charges. Destroy the entire colony. Leave no evidence that we were ever here."

The Councilors looked at each other and nodded. They agreed the evidence was damning and that Saren would have his Spectre status revoked and they would make an effort to bring him in to answer for his crimes.

Udina…being Udina…demanded the Council to send their fleet after Seran. The Council…being the Council…flat out refused. They would not risk war with the Terminus System over a few human colonies.

"There is another solution. A way to stop Saren that does not require fleets or armies." Tevos said.

"No! It's too soon!" Sparatus spit out vehemently.

"If you do not believe my career and abilities meets Spectre qualifications…fine. I will accept the Council's judgment on that. But know this…I _will_ go after him regardless. It is up to you if it is under your command or on my own. The damage he has already done and the damage he is still capable of doing is astronomical. He cannot be ignored. He will not go away. He is a danger to us all."

The Council members looked at each other and nodded, and then typed commands into their consoles.

Tevos spoke up. "Commander Shepard please step forward. It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel. You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species."

"I am honored, Councilors," Shepard said with a small bow.

"We are sending you into the Traverse after Saren. He's a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him," Valern stated.

"This meeting of the Council is adjourned." The Councilors quit the room.

The first human Spectre. One step closer to a seat on the Council…And her best chance to bring down Saren. Not bad for a day's work.

" I need to locate Garrus, the C-Sec officer that was in charge of the case. He wants to take down Saren too. I think we should work together," Shepard stated.

"I have a contact in C-Sec, Harkin. He can track Garrus down," Udina said.

"Forget it. They suspended that loser last month for drinking on the job. I won't waste my time with him," Anderson replied.

"_You_ won't have to. I don't want the Council using your past history with Saren as an excuse to ignore anything more we turn up. Shepard can handle this," Udina said matter of fact, turned and sauntered away.

"I'll take care of it," she said.

"Harkin's probably getting drunk at Chora's Den…a dingy little club in the lower section of the wards. You can also talk to Barla Von, over in the financial district. He's an agent for the Shadow Broker, an information dealer that sells secrets to the highest bidder – but his information will not come cheap," Anderson informed her.

She had money, but she wasn't sure she wanted to use it to buy information unless she had no choice. She would talk to Harkin first."What is this between you and Saren?" she asked him.

"About 20 years ago, I was on a mission with him in the Skyllian Verge to remove a known terrorist threat. Saren eliminated his target, but killed a lot of innocent people. It was swept under the rug. He has no conscience, no hesitation. He likes the violence, the killing. He's twisted, broken…and knows how to cover his tracks," Anderson explained.

"Good to know, Anderson. I'm going to go find Garrus."

"I'll be at the Embassy if you need me." Anderson said.

She nodded and headed out of the Tower. It was time to pay Harkin a visit. Outside of Chora's Den two men attacked her on sight. She moved in as close as she could, using the half-wall to shield her. She pulled her bats and flicked one at a merc, it wrapped around his neck and she jerked him towards her. She flicked her wrist again to loosen the coil and dropped him over the railing to the atrium below. She treated the other to the same level of love. No muss, no fuss, and no bullets wasted.

She headed left and worked her way around the central bar. She heard a loud discussion and her nose started to itch. Damned nose. Shepard's nose grabbed her by the hair and pulled her towards the arguing krogan. She really wished her nose would stay out of things. There's more than one time it ended up bloodied.

"This is Fist's only chance. If he's smart, he'll take it," the scarred krogan said.

"He's not coming out, Wrex. End of story," the bouncer replied.

"This story is just beginning," Wrex warned.

"Out of my way humans. I have no quarrel with you," Wrex said as he pushed his way past them.

"What was that all about?" Kaidan asked.

"Who knows…let's just try not to get caught in the middle," Ashley replied.

Shepard knew her nose all too well. She had no doubt she'd be seeing that krogan again.

Kaidan looked around the seedy bar. "I can see why this place is so popular. It's got quite the...uh…view."

"Hey, Lieutenant, put your tongue back in your mouth before you trip on it," Ashley chastised him and then shook her head. "A million light years from where humanity began and we walk into a bar filled with men drooling over half-naked women shaking their asses on a stage. I can't decide if that's funny or sad."

"What? You don't think they came here because of the food?" Kaidan said sarcastically.

"Can I hit him Commander?" Ashley inquired.

"No, but I might," Shepard said.

"Can I watch?" Ashley asked.

"Only if I break out the leather," Shepard responded.

"Hey!" Kaidan said. "Wait…that could be fun."

Ashley's mouth opened and closed. Shepard had to clench her teeth hard to stop herself from laughing.

Shepard spotted a man that fit Harkin's description and walked over to his table.

"Hey there, sweetheart. You looking for some fun? 'Cause that soldier getup looks real good on that bod of yours…Why don't you sit that sweet little ass down beside old Harkin? Have a drink and we'll see where this goes…" Harkin said winking at her.

So gross, she thought. The man was a filthy butt-weasel. "Maybe later," she said sarcastically.

"Suit yourself, princess. You know, if more marines looked like you, I might've joined the Alliance instead of C-Sec," Harkin replied.

Someone stab me in the eye…please. I just threw up in my mouth…and I really want to spit it all over him. She shook her head in disgust. "I'm looking for a turian C-Sec officer named Garrus."

"I know where Garrus is. But you gotta tell me something first. Did the captain tell you he used to be a Spectre?" Harkin asked. "No? Well, it was all very hush-hush. He screwed up his mission so bad they kicked him out. He blamed Saren for setting him up. The hero's fall. Classic tragedy. Ha!"

"Garrus?" she asked pointedly.

"He was sniffing around Dr. Michel's office. She runs a med-clinic on the other side of the wards."

"Can you tell me anything about him?" she asked him.

"Damn hot-head is what he is. Still figures he can save the world. Always bucking heads with the executor."

"I should go," she said eager to quit this dive.

She cut through the lower markets and headed up the stairs. At the top of the stairs a man waved her down.

"Is that really…wow! It's you!" he said. "You're Commander Shepard, the hero of Eden Prime! I'm so honored to meet you!"

"Sure…Nice to meet you. And you are…?" she asked.

"My name is Conrad Verner. They say you killed more than a hundred geth on Eden Prime!"

"Do they? Damn, that's impressive of me," she said with a smile. "Actually, I spent most of my time just trying to stay alive and help the colonists."

"I know you're probably busy, but can I get your autograph?" he asked.

"Anything for a fan," she said and signed what he handed her.

"Thanks. My wife is going to be so impressed!" he gushed.

She nodded to him, though doubted his wife would give a damn, and hurried on to the clinic.

The clinic door slid open.

"I didn't tell anyone, I swear!" Dr. Michel said.

"If Garrus comes around, you stay smart. Keep your mouth shut or we'll –"the thug said.

As she walked through the door the thug grabbed Dr. Michel.

"Who are you?" the thug asked.

"Commander Shepard, Spectre. You have one chance to let her go. I suggest you don't waste it," she said.

With the thug focusing on Commander Shepard, Garrus knew he wouldn't get a better shot. He jumped out from behind the wall and put a bullet into the thug's head. Dr. Michel screamed when blood and brain matter splattered her as her captor fell to the ground.

Shepard was astounded by both the shot and the audacity he had for risking Dr. Michel's life. The enemies regrouped. With several of them in close proximity, she fired an overload chain and released Grim. The thugs were easy targets, unable to move while their bodies twitched, so she let her team finish them. She focused on the remaining thugs. She held out her hand and blasted them with a sonic shockwave. They slammed into the wall and didn't get back up. She pivoted on her heal, grabbed the bat from her magbelt, pushed a button and it uncoiled at her feet. The whip glowed with electrical energy. She flicked it, ripping the gun from the last remaining merc. She flicked it out again and it wrapped around his neck. A neat hole in the merc's head ended things. When they were all down she turned her focus to Garrus, It was evident that he was the one that fired that shot. She gave the whip another flick, releasing the dead man, it shot back into the small 5 inch bat and she slapped it back on her magbelt.

Garrus looked at the woman approaching him and wondered why she made him feel anything. Granted, she was Commander Shepard, but she was also human. He'd never felt anything but passing friendship for a human. Why did this woman stir anything in him? Maybe it was just because he admired her and appreciated her abilities. Surely that was all it was. At least that's all it had better be. "Perfect timing, Shepard. Gave me a clear shot at that bastard," he told her.

"What were you thinking, Garrus? You don't take chances with a hostage's life! You could have hit her! There is always a better way," she countered.

"There wasn't time to think! I just reacted. I didn't meant to – Dr Michel? Are you hurt?" Garrus asked the doctor.

"Scared out of my mind, but otherwise I'll…I'll be okay. Thanks to all of you." Dr. Michel said gratefully.

"I know you're afraid. But I'm here to help. It's what I do," Shepard assured her.

"They work for Fist," the doctor said nervously. "They wanted to shut me up so I wouldn't tell Garrus about the quarian."

"What didn't they want Garrus to find out? Did the quarian mention anything about Saren or geth?" Shepard asked.

"Yes…Yes, she did. She mentioned she had information regarding the geth," Michel told her.

"Then it's time we paid Fist a visit," Shepard said firmly. She wasn't

"Shepard, I want to bring down Saren as much as you do. I want to be a part of this," Garrus told her.

"Why do you want to bring him down?"

"Saren's a traitor to the Council; and a disgrace to my people!" Garrus said in outrage.

"I knew we'd meet again, Garrus. Glad to have you with me."

"Fisk is going to be waiting for us. We need to take him down hard," Garrus said.

"Then let's head to C'Sec and see if Wrex wants to join the party."

She sent Kaidan and Ashley back to the ship. She did not want to put them on the chopping block with her if things didn't go as planned. She handed Kaidan her credit chit asked that he make a stop for her on his way to the ship. She sent him instructions via his OT. They left the clinic and went down the stairs to C-Sec. As they entered they heard a commotion off to the left.

"Witnesses saw you making threats in Fist's bar. Stay away from him," the officer told Wrex.

"I don't take orders from you," Wrex stated plainly.

"Will you take them from me?" Shepard interrupted.

"Should I know you, human?" Wrex asked.

"Shepard. Spectre. And I'm going after Fist. Thought you might be interested."

"Shepard? Commander Shepard? I've heard a lot about you," Wrex acknowledged. "Though I hadn't heard they'd made you a Spectre…We are both warriors, Shepard. Out of respect, I'll give you fair warning. I'm going to kill Fist."

"Fist knows we're coming. We need to work together," Garrus pointed out.

"Seek the enemy of your enemy and you will find a friend," Wrex quoted and held out his hand.

"Glad to have you on the team, Wrex." Shepard shook his hand. "Let's go pay Fist a visit."

"I've been waiting all day for that." Wrex grumbled. "Let's go. I hate to keep Fist waiting."

They headed up out of C-Sec and hit the rapid transit to Chora's Den. As they approached it they noticed it was eerily quiet. Chora's Den was closed…obviously because they were expecting…company. The door opened as they approached. The room swarmed with armed men. Garrus took down the one hiding on a platform above the bar.

Shepard fired an overload chain to the left; a whopping 6 men were twitching. Probably a bloody record for her. Then she released Grim, her combat drone, and tossed her turret. She raised her hand, shot a sonic shockwave, propelling two men over a table and into the far wall. She unsnapped both bats and smiled as they coiled at her feet. One glowed blue, the other red. Her hands were a blur, she tagged a merc with the red whip, followed by the blue whip, he shattered. She ripped away two guns and shattered three more mercs.

When the initial wave of men were taken down she snapped her bats to her magbelt and headed towards the backroom. Two more men were guarding the door. They were near each other and her shotgun took out both of them at the same time. Their bodies flung away from each other, smoldering masses of ruin.

"You having a bbq and didn't invite me, Shepard? I'm hurt. Smells good," Wrex said as he made his way into the back room.

"Just human, Wrex. Probably stringy and gamey," Shepard said.

"You're right. Turian is tastier. Real tender and flakey if cooked just right," Wrex said, while giving Garrus a good once over.

"Wrex! That turian is mine. You can't eat him. Play nice," she admonished.

"Way to spoil my fun, Shepard," Wrex groused.

Garrus' heart gave a lurch when he heard her call him hers. Maybe because he wanted to feel like he was a part of something bigger. Something that mattered. That he belonged. He never truly felt he belonged anywhere. He wasn't a very typical turian and it made him stand out…and not in a particularly good way. But Shepard was different - she stood out too. Not that he was anything like Shepard…Oh spirits...he needed to find something else to think about, because he was spending far too much time thinking about her.

Shepard opened the next door and two men pulled guns on them. That'll do, Garrus thought.

"Stop right there! Don't come any closer!" one of the men shouted.

"Warehouse workers?" Garrus said surprised. "All of the real guards must be dead."

"Yeah..cause we killed them," Wrex said with a satisfied grunt.

"Stay back or we'll shoot!" the other man shouted.

"Gentleman, I think now would be a real good time for you to beat feet," Shepard told them matter of fact.

The worker looked at the heavily armed trio that had just taken down a dozen men out front. He nodded. "I couldn't agree more. Besides, I need to clean the mess out of my pants before I go home." the warehouse worker complained.

"Do you have an extra pair of pants I could borrow?" the other one asked as they were heading out the door.

"It would have been quicker to just kill them," Wrex grumbled.

Garrus rolled his eyes. "Shooting people isn't always the answer."

Wrex shrugged. "It's more fun."

They wound their way through a crap ton of crates, she stopped to pillage some omni-gel from a locker, and then they made their way through two sets of doors before she heard a very disgruntled man say, "Why do I have to do everything myself? Time to die, little soldiers."

Two defense turrets popped up, with accurate sensors and a deadly spray of fire. She pulled her shotgun, loaded with high explosive ammo; it took two shots to bring the turret down. She turned her attention to the second turret, but her team had already taken care of it. She grabbed her bat, flicked it and watched it coil around Fist's neck.

"Wait! Don't kill me! I surrender!" Fist shouted, dropping his gun and kicking it away.

"Where is the quarian?" Shepard demanded.

"I don't know where the quarian is, but I know where you can find her. She said she'd only deal with the Shadow Broker himself," Fist explained.

"Face to face? Impossible!" Wrex said.

"Nobody meets the Shadow Broker. Ever. But she didn't know that. I told her I'd set a meeting, it will be Saren's men waiting for her," Fist admitted.

Shepard flicked the whip, snapped it to her side, grabbed Fist by the armor and pulled him down to her eye level. "I want the location. Now," she said coldly.

"She's in the back alley by the markets. They're meeting now," Fist divulged.

She nodded and released him. When she stepped away Wrex pulled his shot gun and ended Fist.

"What are you doing?" Garrus yelled.

"The Shadow Broker paid me to kill him. I don't leave jobs half done," Wrex said simply.

"He surrendered! We don't shoot unarmed prisoners," Shepard retorted.

"How many people died because of him? He brought this on himself," Wrex pointed out.

"That quarian's dead if we don't go _now_," Garrus interrupted.

"Move out," Shepard demanded and the men fell into line behind her. They ran out of Fist's office and into an ambush. As ambushes go, it was pretty weak. Only about 6-7 goons. Really? So below my pay grade, she sighed. She threw out an overload chain, entrapping three of them, sent another crashing over a table and into a wall and let her team mop up anything they felt like mopping. She could still hear Wrex's shot gun as she walked out the front door. Apparently, Wrex liked to clean.

Garrus looked around. What the hell? She was already gone. Damn it!

She ran up the stairs and into the back alley. She put her hand up when her team came up behind her to halt them.

A turian walked up to the quarian. "Did you bring it?" he asked.

"Where's the Shadow Broker? Where's Fist?" the quarian asked.

The turian ran his hand along her arm. "Where's the evidence?"

"No way," she said shoving his hand away. "The deal's off."

The turian backed away and nodded to his cohorts, who pulled their guns. The quarian fired at the salarian troopers, sending them sprawling backwards. They regained their footing just as the quarian ducked behind cover. She snapped her whip at the quarian, it wrapped around her waist, she jerked it and brought the quarian flying at her. She pushed the quarian behind her, flicked the whip and snapped it back to her belt. Hope this isn't overkill, Shepard thought as she amped her OT and sent a massive sonic shockwave. It landed square in the middle of the room, enemy and large, heavy cartons alike were rocked by its force. Bodies smashed against hard containers repeatedly. When the walls started shaking, she ended it. All that was left was shattered bags of goo being held together by armor. Um…yeah, overkill. Oops.

"Interesting solution, Shepard," Garrus mocked her.

"Bite me, Garrus," she told him.

Garrus raised his brow plates. The fact that he found that idea appealing rubbed him the wrong way on so many levels.

Shepard walked over to the irate quarian.

"Fist set me up! I knew I couldn't trust him!" the quarian raged.

"Fist won't be hurting anybody anymore. Are you okay?"

"That's good to know. And I'm fine. Who should I be thanking for the assistance?" the quarian asked.

"I'm Commander Shepard. Spectre. I heard you may have evidence against Saren,"

"I'm Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. You were told correctly. It will give me the chance to repay you for saving my life," Tali said.

"I need to get you to Udina," Shepard informed her.

"Yes," Garrus said. "Your ambassador needs to see this information. Hopefully, it will get Saren's Spectre status revoked."

Shepard smiled at Garrus. "It has already been revoked." She flipped on her OT and showed Tali, Wrex and Garrus the footage she used against Saren. She explained how she'd waited to show the council this information, because she'd been trying to get Saren to lay his cards on the table. In the end he had, because he'd mocked her and called her 'vela', something that had not been released.

Garrus was trying to assimilate all that he'd seen and heard. He was relieved to know that his instincts had been correct about Saren. He was shocked to learn that Commander Shepard had been Nihlus Kryik's vela. He was elated that she'd been able to provide the proof the Council needed to revoke Saren's Spectre status.

Tali looked at Shepard in confusion. "How did you get these recordings?"

Shepard released Grim. "This is Grim. He took the footage for me."

"It, Shepard…not he. Your drone has a camera function. I never thought of doing that. My drone's name is Chatika."

The drone turned to face Tali after it received Shepard's nod of approval. "I resent being called an 'it'. A combat drone is an 'it'…I am so much more. While I have no sexual organs, I am very much aware of who and what I am." Grim flared and darted to Tali's other side. "I am a 'he' and my name is Grim." Tali stood there dumbstruck. Grim nodded and returned to Shepard.

"Thank you for your footage, Grim. It saved the day. You are welcome to go play…don't get into trouble."

"That's an AI, Shepard!"

"Of course not, Tali…that would be illegal. He's a VI with attitude."

Tali shook her head. "Boshtet. I hope you know what you are doing, Shepard."

"I always know what I'm doing."

From everything Garrus had read about Commander Shepard, that statement couldn't have been more apt. She was a scientist turned engineer, with an eidetic memory and an IQ that was off the charts. She would be a daunting figure, except she was so at ease and likable. Most important, she was going after Saren and Garrus was determined to be at her side.

They made their way out of the back ally and took the rapid transit to the Tower. Udina was waiting for them when they arrived at the Human Embassy. "You're not making my life easy, Shepard. Firefights in the wards? An all out assault on Chora's Den? Do you know how many - " Udina chastised her.

"Actually, your source is inaccurate. My team didn't fire a single bullet in the wards – tech only." Shepard responded.

A flush crept up the Ambassador's face. "That's not the point," he said coldly. He paused a moment when he noticed the quarian. "Who's this? What are you up to?" he demanded.

"Making your day, Udina. This is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya and she has more information concerning Saren," Shepard informed him.

"Right. We don't see many quarians here. Why did you leave the flotilla?" Udina asked her.

"I was on my pilgrimage, my rite of passage into adulthood. I cannot return to the flotilla until I can bring back something of value to prove I can contribute to our community. I was investigating reports of geth outside the Veil. When I found a patrol, I disabled and removed the memory core of one of them," Tali explained.

"Don't the geth fry their memory cores when they die?" Anderson asked.

"I know what I'm doing. Much of the core was wiped, but I was able to salvage some data, particularly from the audio banks," Tali responded. She flipped on her omni-tool .

"Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit," Saren said with satisfaction.

"That's Saren's voice and it takes us past the point you were able to show us!" Anderson said, unable to hide his excitement.

"There's more," Tali said. "Saren wasn't working alone." Tali replayed Saren's message and then the part they hadn't heard.

"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers," a female voice stated.

"Are they some kind of new alien species?" Shepard asked Tali.

"According to what I could pull from the memory core, the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that wiped out the Protheans 50,000 years ago and then vanished."

"Sounds a little farfetched," Udina snarked.

"No, she's right. That is what the beacon showed me. I saw the Reapers wipe out the Protheans," Shepard stated.

"The geth revere the Reapers as gods, the pinnacle of non-organic life. They follow Saren because they believe he knows how to bring the Reapers back," Tali explained.

"We need to present this to the Council right away," Udina said sternly.

"Let me help you, Shepard," Tali said.

"What about your pilgrimage?" Shepard asked concerned.

"I think saving the galaxy is a tad more important than my pilgrimage. My pilgrimage can wait," Tali told her.

"Welcome to my team, Tali." Shepard shook her hand.

They made their way out of the Embassies and took the rapid transit to the Tower. It was time to confront the Council again. They still needed to have this information.

The Council had already heard the evidence by the time she arrived. Tevos recognized the female with Saren to be Matriarch Benezia, a powerful and revered asari matron. Unfortunately, they considered the Reaper threat no more than a hoax perpetuated by Saren to bend the geth to his will.

No surprise there. The Council needed bitch slapped to see anything beyond its own ego.

Time to set things rolling. But, apparently the fates didn't agree. She ended up having to help Dr. Michel avert a blackmailer, stop a rogue AI, scan over 20 keepers to help a scientist learn more about them, help a woman with her sister, help a C-Sec officer with a mod sting, help a reporter's career, clear up an asari consort issue, and helped a C-Sec agent with an evangelical hanar. She needed to get the hell out of Dodge…fast. It was pretty clear if she hung around any longer her nose would keep her so busy she'd never be able to leave.

Udina commed her and told her to meet him down at the docking bay. Saved by the bell. She couldn't stand Udina, but at least he would give her an excuse for her to keep her nose out of anyone else's business. She needed to check out the ship she'd had Kaidan purchase for her. It was time to go after Saren. They headed down to C-Sec and took the elevator to the docking bay.

Udina and Anderson were both there, in front of the Normandy's berth.

"I've got big news for you, Shepard. Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours," Udina said.

"Thank you, but I would rather not take his ship from him. I already purchased and outfitted the Hawk," She told Udina.

"Nonsense, Commander. The Hawk is a very nice frigate, but the Normandy is the most advance ship in the Alliance. Her stealth drives will get you in and out of places no other ship could. You need her to help you take down Saren. She's quick and quiet and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well, Commander," Anderson told her.

"If you are sure, Captain. I'll take good care of her," Shepard replied.

"I'm sure, Commander. If she is to go to anyone else, I'm glad it's you," Anderson said.

She turned to her crew. "Go on ahead and get settled in. I'll meet you on board." They nodded and entered the ship's airlock.

"We had reports of geth activity in the Feros system and around Noveria, you may also wish to talk to Dr. Liara T'Soni, she is Matriarch Benezia's daughter; a Prothean archeologist at a dig in the Artemis Tau cluster," Udina informed her before giving her a harsh look. "You might be a Spectre, but you're still human and your actions still reflect on humanity as a whole. You make a mess and I get stuck cleaning it up."

Shepard wanted to tell the ass-weasel to do his damn job, but instead she sucked down her ire and told him she'd try not to make things harder for him. Though, in truth, _try_ is a very relative word. She watched Udina take his leave.

"Why are you stepping down, David?" Shepard asked. Shepard loved David with all her heart. He had been her father's best friend, her godfather. He'd stepped up to the plate and had been a father to her ever since her dad passed away.

"I was in your shoes twenty years ago, child. They were considering me for the Spectres. I failed. It's not something I'm proud of. I had my shot. Now you have a chance to make up for my mistakes," Anderson said.

"I won't let you down, David. But I know this can't be easy for you," Shepard replied.

"Honestly? This isn't how I pictured my career coming to an end. Pushing papers really isn't my thing. But you're the one who can stop Saren. I believe in you, child. If that means I have to step aside, so be it," he told her.

"I'm sorry, David. This is not how I expected things to work out. I should have just told you both no," She said quietly.

"You did right, child. There was no choice for either of us. You need the Normandy far more than I do. She is your best and maybe only chance for success. She will see you through this," David reiterated.

"And, David… I do not think your career is ending. You have never been one to quietly slide into obscurity. That is not the end you will have, dad. This is only a small hiccup." Shepard reassured him as she pulled him in for a brief hug.

"I hope you're right, child." He told her before releasing her and taking a step back.

"David, take care of the Hawk for me. You can fly her under the Alliance, if they'll let you, but she is not an Alliance vessel. Don't let them commandeer her…if you can avoid it…but try to see that she gets some action. Would hate to see her get fat and lazy. Dry-dock rot is a pain in the aft."

David shook his head. "That was horrible. I'll take care of the Hawk. Now, you go take Saren down hard– and give him a swift kick for me."

Shepard flashed him a smile and turned into the Normandy's airlock.

David's heart skipped a beat when he saw her radiant smile. He shook his head and chuckled… That smile of hers would make the dead stand up and take notice. Damn if he didn't both envy and pity the man who ended up with her. That man was going to have his hands full.

Chapter 6

Feros

She slipped into a royal blue push-up sports bra. It was thickly padded, kept her in place, and gave her cleavage a nice bump. She removed her belly ring, she hated wearing it when she worked out, she'd had it ripped out sparring once and didn't take chances anymore. She pulled on matching sweat-wicking, form-fitting leggings with a white stripe down the side of her legs. She drew a towel around her neck, grabbed a bottle of water and headed for the fitness room.

The fitness room was down below opposite of the cargo bay. One side of the room held work out machines of all types, bolted to the floor of course. Mats wove under and around the machines. There were also uneven bars, a balance beam, and a trampoline. Those were her additions. The other side of the room held only mats for sparring and some practice dummies on one side. She noticed Garrus hard at work with one of the dummies. He was in a tan suit with some blue trim. She assumed it was a turian version of a workout suit.

She put down her towel and water and began stretching, covertly watching him workout. She'd never seen a turian workout before. It was uniquely interesting.

Garrus felt her walk in and did his best to pretend he didn't. He finally came to stop when he realized he was getting a little too rough with the practice dummy. He turned to face her. Spirits! She was wearing his colors. He didn't like how his heart quickened. He didn't like how that made him feel inside. But, damn, she looked good.

Shepard was atop the beam; she bent at the waste and placed her hands on the beam. She slowly lifted one leg off the beam and into the air, the other joined it and for a brief moment she was suspended upside down, then her back began to slowly bend until first one leg than then other made contact with the beam. It was extraordinary to watch. No turian could move like that. And spirits did she look sexy doing it. She pulled herself upright and then lowered herself into a splits position.

Shepard felt eyes on her; she turned her head and saw Garrus watching her. She placed her hands flat on the beam, pushed off, rotated her body until she was straddling the beam and lowered herself back down facing him. She winced a bit; she'd never been comfortable sitting on the beam this way. She can't imagine what it would feel like for a guy, she'd probably be singing soprano the rest of her life. "Can you toss me my towel?" she asked him, pointing out where she'd put it. He tossed it to her; she wrapped it around her neck and patted her face. She stood up, walked to the end of the beam, tossed her towel at him and did a back flip off landing in front of him.

"Now, that was impressive, Shepard," he said, wrapping the towel around her neck. His hands stayed there for just a moment before falling away. Her suit left little to the imagination and he had a fairly good imagination. She was wreaking havoc on his senses. He took a step back and cleared his throat. He headed to his water to take a sip. He needed an excuse to put some distance between them.

"Not any more impressive that what I saw you do to the dummy," she pointed out. "Do you want to dance?" she asked him.

Garrus choked on his water and nearly sprayed it everywhere. "Turians don't dance, Shepard."

She blinked for a moment confused. Then she realized he'd taken her literally. She smiled and then laughed. "Perhaps, we ought to test that theory one of these days. But that wasn't what I meant. I meant do you want to go a few rounds? Spar? Teach me how you fight. I enjoyed watching you and would like for you to show me your moves."

Garrus picked his jaw up off the floor and proceeded to hit himself with it. Why did his mind always fall in the gutter when she was around? He was half tempted to take the stick out of his ass, and beat himself over the head with that as well. He needed to stop seeing her as a woman. She was not a woman. Well, she was. But she was his COMMANDER. Get a grip Garrus. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He was sure it would be a mistake getting that close to her, but he didn't feel he had a good enough reason to turn her down…at least not one he cared to share with her.

They squared off on the mat. He explained a few moves and showed her how they were done. Several times he had to grit his teeth and position her arms and legs to get the precise movement he was looking for. His fingers sank into her muscles. It was so intimate that he had to bite back a groan that would have embarrassed them both. He also had to make sure their hips didn't come into contact, because there would be no hiding what she did to him.

Shepard found herself purposely missing movements just to feel his hands on her body. She and Nihlus really hadn't gotten this far, so the feel of his two fingers and thumb were a unique and strangely satisfying experience.

Once he was sure she knew the particular moves he wanted her to know, they pulled on microfoam guards and began to put the moves into practice. After a few rounds he had to admit he was impressed. She caught on fast and was keeping him on his guard. He spotted a flaw in her movement, stepped in and tossed her onto the mat. She snaked her foot around his and pulled up. He ended up falling on top of her. He landed on his forearms. His face a few inches from hers. They were both breathing hard from their exertions.

She placed her hands against his carapace and laughed. "I'm not big on losing, so I wasn't about to go down without taking you with me."

They both realized he was between her legs at the same time. They froze, barely even daring to breath. Thankfully, he was too far down for her to feel how very much he wanted her.

Kaidan walked into the fitness room, his mouth opened, unable to believe what he was seeing. Garrus moved over her leg and rolled over onto his back, his carapace held him up just enough that his head was only angled down a bit. He was ever so grateful his shirt came down low enough to hide his embarrassment. "I've discovered the hard way that Shepard doesn't like to lose," Garrus explained. "Take her down and she will make sure you go down with her."

Kaidan laughed relieved. "Yes, I learned that lesson the hard way too."

"Laugh it up guys. I'm hitting the shower." And she beat a hasty, albeit cowardly retreat.

For the next couple of weeks they did odd missions for the Alliance, she even took down a few Cerberus and geth bases. She also ended up taking down the two criminal warlords Helena Blake had told her about. She even strong armed the woman into getting out of the business. Here's to good deeds well done.

She had pretty much laid down a schedule. She went to the fitness room the same time every day, unless a mission made her put it off. As the days went by more often than not Garrus was there either before she arrived or shortly thereafter. She liked to think he enjoyed her company, but it was more realistic that he just preferred not to work out alone. When she started putting him on the mats as often as he put her there, he would teach her new moves.

She'd eat dinner in the mess with her crew; she enjoyed getting to know them better. Closer to bed time she would head down to the starboard lounge to watch a vid or read a book and have a few drinks. Occasionally, one or more of the crew would join her. And once in awhile they would all cram in there, drink until dawn and suffer the next morning. All but her, that is. She never suffered from hangovers. She healed too quickly for that. And she rubbed the crews' faces in it every chance she got. Poor sots.

This night Garrus and Kaidan were with her. The vid was over much sooner than expected. They both bid her farewell and took off. She sighed…the night was far too young still. She headed out of the starboard lounge and nearly ran smack into Garrus. "I'm so glad you're here. Tell me you're not tired yet!" she implored him.

"Uh…no, Shepard. I'm er – not tired yet. Did…hmm…did you have something in mind?" he asked uncertain.

"I sure did!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the elevator.

By the time they reached her cabin Garrus was all but sweating. She pulled him into her cabin and the door closed behind them. His nerves were shot. He was about to hightail it and run, he knew he was. Then he saw Shepard go down on her hands and knees, her ass up in the air swaying back and forth as she was going through something at the bottom of her closet. He was mesmerized. He stilled himself when he realized his body had been swaying in time to her movements. He was looking longingly at the door when she shot back up.

"Vid or book?" she asked.

The relief nearly dropped him. He'd been fighting the need to pull her into his arms and he knew it wouldn't take much encouragement from her for things to go that route. And that is not a path that needed to be walked.

The vid was a newer action flick, the Traveling Man. The book was Journey to the Center of the Earth. He fingered the leather bound book. Paper books were hard to come by and very expensive. "I haven't seen too many paper books."

"I've got shelves of them. I like the feel of the paper in my hands. I'm a very tactile person. I like to touch," she said with a shrug.

Yeah, she did and that was part of the problem. He chose the book. She grabbed a bottle turian brandy, a bottle of asari honeymead and a couple of glasses. She pointed to the sofa for him to sit, set the bottles and glasses on the table and asked him to pour. She sat down next to him and crossed her legs. He had one arm on the sofa's arm holding his drink, the other he draped along the back of the sofa.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd have turian brandy in your private quarters. Most humans can't drink it." he said curiously.

Shepard flushed. She couldn't tell him she got it in hopes that he'd be there someday, but she could give him a half-truth. "Tali was here the other night watching vids with me. But no turian brandy doesn't bother my system." She grabbed his glass and took a swig before giving it back to him.

She settled in and began reading. He watched her read, her voice soothing him. He asked questions every now and again and told her how he'd have done a thing if it were him. She liked the interaction. It made the book come to life. She liked debating points with him. After an hour or so she leaned against his side and curled her legs up on the sofa to get more comfortable. Another half hour and his arm settled around her shoulders. She smiled, snuggled into him and kept reading. Her voice eventually started to go. She wasn't used to using her voice this much. She asked him if he wanted to call it a night or if he would like to read for a little bit. She had thought he would leave, but he opted to read.

Garrus had been shocked when she first settled against him. But she did it so nonchalantly that it didn't make him feel uncomfortable in the slightest. In fact, he liked her snuggled up against him. He liked it too damn much. Eventually, he worked up the nerve to put his arm around her. It was a more comfortable position for his arm, he assured himself.

After about an hour of him reading Shepard gave a slight yawn and wiggled down, putting her head in his lap and her hand on his thigh. He very nearly jumped out of his skin. He'd never had someone lay on him like that. The heat of her hand, her cheek burned into him. He prayed she did not move her head too much or they both could wind up seriously embarrassed. He lowered his hand to her shoulder absently rubbing it as he read. Eventually, he heard a soft snore and he couldn't help but smile. He slowly slipped out from under her, marked the page in the book, put up the bottles and glasses, pulled down her covers, then bent over and picked her up. Whoa. He had a bit too much to drink. He walked them carefully over to her bed and laid her gently on it. He pulled up the covers and swayed. He lay down next to her. I'll go in just a few, he thought.

He felt something move against him and he came awake. His brain was still foggy. He'd been dreaming about Shepard being in his arms, his hand upon her breast, her grinding against his hardness. As soon as the sleep cleared from his head he realized it had not been a dream at all. His hand cupped something soft; the heat of her ass was pressed against him. His other arm was under her neck. And he was under the covers with her. How the hell did he get there? He fell asleep on top of the covers. He lowered his hand to her waist and gave her a light shake. "Shepard, I need to go. Everyone will be waking up soon and…hmmm… I'd just as soon not do the dreaded walk of shame."

"You would be ashamed of us?" she mumbled.

Us? In what life could he ever be lucky enough for there to be an _us_? "No, that's not what I meant. You're the Commander. I wouldn't want the crew to get the – er, wrong idea about us. I wouldn't, uh…want them to think anything _happened_."

"Something did happen." Her mumbling was almost incoherent.

Yes, he thought. It did. I fell in love with you, Commander Shepard, over a book and a glass of brandy…and I can never tell you. Truth be told, he probably fell in love with her in the Council Chambers when he first saw her, but this was the first time he openly admitted it to himself. "Perhaps, but not the _something_ they would imagine."

She rolled towards him further trapping his arm. She placed her hand on the side of his face. "Thank you, Garrus. I had a wonderful evening. If it wasn't too boring for you, perhaps we can do it again sometime."

He lowered his forehead to hers. "I'd like that," he said thickly, before pulling away. She lowered her hand and lifted her head so he could move. He felt a sense of loss when he was no longer touching her. As he stood up beside the bed he looked back down at her; she was already fast asleep. He couldn't stop himself from smiling. Things were different between them now, even if she didn't know it.

Thus began their evening ritual. She still had her evening vid, card game, or party, depending on how many showed up and the mood they were in, but he would always show up at her cabin a half hour after the evening events came to an end. He was now comfortable enough to just walk in when he arrived instead of comming first. The only things that concerned him were Kaidan's and Liara's feelings. He was pretty sure even Tali was a bit in love with Shepard as well, but she was not openly pursuing her like the other two were. He intended to keep an eye on them. If it looked like she was showing too much interest in someone he would come clean with her, but he hoped it wasn't any time too soon. It was easier to pretend she could love him back than to find out for sure she never would. He had never considered himself a coward before, but that woman had the power to break him with a single word; he wasn't eager to face the block.

"We are approaching Feros, Commander. ETA 15 minute," Joker informed her.

"Thank you, Joker. Com the crew and have them meet at the cargo bay in 15."

"Will do, Commander."

When she walked into the cargo bay she closed her eyes and forced the sight. Goodness, Liara's Blue aura with orange swirls was shining bright today. Kaidan's was the next brightest. She turned to Garrus, a slight frown on her face. She wondered what was disturbing him enough to effect his aura so much.

Garrus had been pacing the cargo bay when he got the comm about leaving soon. He didn't quite know what he was going to do. He was starting to worry his love for Shepard had the potential to become an obsession. The need to be with her, to protect her, to claim her was beginning to feel like an itch he couldn't reach. He knew he was starting to act a little frantic on the days he was left behind and the crew was starting to give him worried looks. He wished like hell he could hide it, but it just seemed to be getting worse. The others assembled in a line and he joined them. When he saw Shepard frown at him he knew he didn't make the cut. No! That wasn't going to fly. This was a major mission; he couldn't bear the thought of being left behind. He didn't know how this aura thing really worked. But the only thing he could think to do is to calm his mind and think only of how much he loved her.

Shepard headed over to Garrus to find out what was bothering him. Half way there she staggered backwards and threw her arm in front of her eyes. She could barely make Garrus out through his aura. What the hell was that? She released the sight quickly. There were still white spots dancing in her eyes, playing havoc with her vision. "Garrus, Liara gear up…be ready in 10."

Garrus turned around to his locker, his mandibles flared wide. He did it. He bucked her system. Now, he just had to hope it continued to work.

It was nice that the Normandy could dock on Feros. She was sure to need some light repairs and a break. As they stepped out of the airlock and onto Feros, Shepard took another aura peek. Garrus' was still a kilowatt aura. She'd have to ask him about that when they had more time. She released the sight and walked up to Garrus. She knew she would have to kiss him sooner or later. That she hadn't up until now was rather surprising. "You are my good luck giver today, Garrus. Will you accept my kiss?" she asked trying to keep the voice level.

Garrus opened and closed his mouth. He didn't trust himself to say anything. His voice tended to crack like a pubescent boy whenever he got too nervous. He took in a deep breath and nodded. She placed one hand on the neck of his armor to pull him down. He wasn't sure why he didn't think to bend down for her… probably because he wasn't thinking so well right now. Her other hand went rested on the back of his neck. He felt a gentle pressure against his mouth as her warm, soft lips slid against his. It was an odd sensation, but a pleasant one. Fire shot straight to his groin. Ok, pleasant was perhaps a bit of an understatement. As she withdrew her hand slid down the sensitive skin of his neck, shivers raced through him, his heart thundered in his chest, and his shaft swelled painfully hard…made all the more painful because there wasn't all that much room in the armor down there. The idea of kissing had never really appealed to him before, but he would never look at it the same again.

Shepard looked Garrus in the eyes . "Thank you," she said thickly, barely able to keep herself from pulling him down for another. His mouth had been firm, but flexible. Strange, but exciting. And she wanted to do it again. Many more agains. She sighed and backed up until she was brought to a stop.

Garrus quickly dropped his hands from her waist. He hadn't even been aware that he had placed them there. He took a step back, squared his shoulders and gave her a nod. She smiled and turned to take point. His groin gave a painful jerk. He was hard as stone entirely too often around her. He was seriously considering getting new armor.

A man was on the walkway to greet them. "We saw your ship. Fai Dan wants to meet with you immediately."

"Who's Fai Dan?" Shepard asked.

"He's our…leader. He needs your help to prepare for the geth. They are making another push - " he said.

Take cover!" Garrus yelled. But it was too late for the greeter, who was torn apart by geth bullets. Then, the three geth open fired on them. She released Grim and hit them with an overload chain. As they fell, more moved in. Grim sprayed acid on their optical sensors and her whips sang out removing heads with a flick of her wrists. Liara threw out a singularity. Large crates and geth bodies crashed together. One geth escaped death by crates, but only because he was flung over the balcony to the hard docking bay floor…very far below them.

"They tried to build a life here; but now all they have are ruins," Liara said sadly.

"I can't believe the colony held out as long as they did," Garrus said softly.

They followed the walkway around a corner, Shepard's radar jammed, more geth were nearby. She saw one fly over her head. "Hopper!" she yelled. Damned geth clung to walls like a gecko. Hard as hell to catch. Garrus brought it down before she could even find where it had landed. He gave her a smug look when she glanced over at him. All right. He earned it. She bowed her head in acknowledgment.

Their radar was clear, so they continued down the path to the colony. The colonists would only talk of their fear for the geth, so they continued on. They passed through a prefab unit and out the other side. Finally, someone was willing to talk.

"I'm Fai Dan, I'm so glad they finally decided to send someone to help us."

"It would have been nice had you come sooner," the woman bit out.

"Look, the geth are – They're here!" Fai Dan yelled.

Shepard unsnapped her AR, sent an overload chain at them and slipped around them as her team took down the helpless geth. She took the head off one that had been too far away to be affected by the overload. She continued down the corridor. She wound her way through the corridor and activated three disabled machines that belonged to the same water system. She hoped they weren't deactivated for a good reason. Guess she'd find out later if this was an 'oops' on her part. At the end of the path was a crazy man talking in riddles. He seemed to be fighting something that caused him a great deal of pain, but he didn't appear to want help, so she left him to his own devices. On the way back she crossed over a bridge. Her radar showed there were signatures beyond the wall. The wall slid open and several geth attacked. They were higher up, she shot out a sonic wave that knocked them down, she followed it up with an overload chain and continued on, knowing her team would make short work of them.

"Damn it, Shepard – I hate it when you do that," Garrus told her retreating back.

She came out of the corridor into a larger room. Three massive krogan charged them. She released Grim, tossed a turret and shot out a sonic wave, pinning two against the wall. Grim sprayed acid in their eyes, blinding them. She released the wave. The turret belched fire and bullets and the krogan panicked trying to get away. She pulled her Viper and put a bullet through the eye of one of them, putting him out of his misery. The second dropped an instant later. Garrus had the same idea.

There was a small room off the end of the larger room and she discovered a large transmitter the geth had been using. She fired on it until it was nothing but smoke and ruin. As they exited back through the wall, her radar picked up organic signatures rather than geth. She wanted to speak to them and make sure they were safe before heading back. She crossed back over the bridge and through the wall on the opposite side. Huge dog creatures slavered, growled, and then attacked them. Liara threw out a singularity. Three dogs were sucked into it. Hot dog. Or dead dog, in any case. She sent an overload chain that froze four in a macabre dance. Well placed bullets took them out. She looked around while she was there and pulled out some salvage from an old tank. Always good to have repair parts on hand, never know when you will need them. Time to head back to Fai Dan and see if there was anything she could do to help the colony.

When she reached Fai Dan he said, "The tower's secure. Thanks to you, Commander."

"I'm just glad your colony is safe now," Shepard said.

"Thank you for your efforts against the geth. It is appreciated," Fai Dan said.

"It won't hold them for long though, they always come back," the woman replied.

"Do you know why the geth have attacked your colony?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know why they're here. The geth's main base is at the Exo-Geni headquarters if you want to look for answers. They are the company that funds the colony. The skyway leads directly to their headquarters," Fai Dan told her.

"Is there anything I can do for the colony before we go?" she asked.

Fai Dan gave her the names of a few key people she could talk to if she wanted to help them further.

Shepard discovered the system she reactivated was the colony's main water supply the geth had deactivated. She also found out the dogs, veran, were a main food staple for the colony, but hunting had become more dangerous since a new pack leader had taken over. She informed the man that the alpha veran would no longer be a problem and they might want to retrieve the meat before it spoiled. She also turned over the salvaged part she acquired. They apparently needed the cells, so she was glad she had thought to scavenge them. She had apparently already accomplished the main needs of the colony. So, now it was time to hit the skyway and take the fight to the geth before they could attack the colony again. They hopped the elevator, when the door opened she heard a man yelling. They drew their guns and ran out firing at the geth attacking the guards. When the threat was cleared they climbed into the mako that had been dropped off for them and headed out the main doors. Garrus hopped in back to ride the guns; Liara sat beside her to run the navigation and scanners. She missed having Garrus beside her, but she knew he was having fun kicking ass with the big guns.

Debris and geth hides littered the skyway. Geth were a major problem. Armatures and geth with rocket launchers were everywhere.

They passed through two waves of geth before they picked up local radio chatter.

"They've got us on visual. They must be close," Liara said.

"Forget about them, we need to focus on the geth," Garrus responded.

"Garrus, have a heart. It won't hurt to take a few minutes to peak in on them. We might be able to aid them or they could have important information that would help us out. We won't know until we check," Shepard told him.

The climbed out of the mako and headed down the ramp into an underground encampment. The small group was safe for the moment. There was a nasty little butt-weasel who worked for Exo-Geni that Shepard wished she could put a bullet into. A woman wanted her daughter found and a man wanted her to collect some data off his terminal at Exo-Geni, but otherwise nothing new was discovered. They climbed back into the mako and back onto the skyway.

After a couple of more geth waves they made it to the end of the line. The door wouldn't open far, but she was able to wiggle the mako close enough that cannon could be fired through the door to weed out the geth hiding within. When her radar showed clear, they headed in. A quick walk through only left one way to move forward. They dropped down through an opening to the floor below. There was no going back that way.

As they cleared the rubble, she noticed veran corpses on the ground. They were not alo – a bullet flew between her and Garrus.

"Damn it! Oh – I'm sorry. I thought you were a geth or one of those veran," the woman apologized.

Talk about shoot first and ask questions later…or in her case, shoot first and_ look_ found out she was the missing daughter, Lizbeth, and that she worked for Exo-geni. She had elected to stay behind to download data, but she ended up trapped here. A geth ship latched onto the building and was powering barrier shields to keep people away from the Thorian, a very large, very old, plant-life, which was most likely what the geth were after. She gave Shepard her ID to get her past any locked doors and wished her luck on getting the shields down.

They entered a rear door and heard a krogan yelling at a machine. The machine was nice enough to warn the krogan of their presence and he charged. She hit him with a sonic wave that slammed him into a wall and held him tight. She walked up to him. "You really should control that temper of yours. It can lead to all kinds of …problems for you."

Garrus took him out.

"You know, I was going to ask him if he would surrender."

"And I think we both know what his answer to that would have been," Garrus said matter of fact.

"You are probably right, but it's only sporting to give him the chance," she pointed out.

"I've never met anyone quite like you, Shepard," he admitted.

"And you never will," she said softly.

They were able to get quite a bit of Thorian intel from the VI. Apparently, it controls people through inhalation of its spores and Exo-Geni purposely let it control the Zhu's Hope colony so they could study it. She also learned Lizbeth was aware of all of this, due to her high level clearance. And that was why she became an engineer. She loved science, but hated what the pursuit of it could do to the souls of the people in charge.

They continued past the VI and discovered 2 geth below them distracted with something. She flicked her whips out and relieved them of their heads. Huge geth ship claws were anchored onto the side of the building. They needed to find a way to remove the claws. They followed the corridor around and it opened into a room with several geth…Oh joy…here we go again. She hacked a geth with a rocket launcher and let it do the work for them. Once they were down, she headed left through a red corridor and up a flight of stairs. She followed the corridor until it led to another open room and wouldn't you know…more geth.

When the last one fell they headed up a nearby staircase to the floor above. She moved across the crumbling upper level and looked down at the geth gathered below. She hacked a destroyer. After it took down the other geth she hit it with an overload charge and Garrus shot its head off. At the back of the room was a control for the Shuttle bay door. One of the geth claws just happened to have used that for an anchor point. That would be their best shot to loosen the ship's grip on the building.

She programmed the door's PSI high enough to make it slam down hard. It sheared off the top claw on the geth ship. The bottom two claws could not support its weight alone and the ship dropped off the side of the building and crashed to the surface far below. The energy fields had come down.

"Normandy to shore party, anybody there? Normandy to shore party…come on Commander, please be there." Worry laced Joker's every word. When she answered him she could hear the relief in his voice as he told her that colonists were banging on the hull. She told him to sit tight; the colonists couldn't do any real damage to the Normandy.

They retraced their steps and bypassed the newly opened passage to head up the other side of the stairwell. She needed to retrieve some data for one of the colonists. Several krogan were in the room she needed to get into. She sighed…she'd already killed more than enough today; she was starting to get mighty sick of it. Oh well…another one bites the dust.

With the three krogan out of the picture she uploaded the data and hightailed it back to the newly opened passage.

Lizbeth was waiting for them on the other side of the passageway. She confronted Lizbeth on her lies. The young woman apologized and told them the way to the Thorian was blocked by a freighter the Zhu's Hope colonists put down to cover the entrance to protect it.

Once back at the Exo-Geni group they discussed the infected colonists and how best to manage them so they could get past them. She joined with the Exo-geni scientists, bounced ideas, compared theories and finally helped them formulate nerve gas infused reduced-capacity concussion grenades. She took the grenades and headed to Zhu's Hope. Hopefully, a majority of the colonists could be rendered harmless, allowing them to get access to the Thorian.

Garrus couldn't stop his mandibles from flaring. This was a side of Shepard most never saw. They saw the soldier, the Commander, the capable warrior, the diplomat…but the woman at home in a lab? That was rarely seen.

When they reached the main door a nastified human creature, a husk-like thorian creeper, was waiting for them. When the door opened many more attacked them. You had to take them down before they got to close to you, because their preferred method of attack was barfing green goo in your face. Not a very becoming look. And it didn't feel too great, burned like acid. After they were down they hopped back into the mako and drove it up next to the guards. They climbed out, using the mako for cover; she tossed a sleep grenade at the four humans shooting at them.

The proceeded through the door. She tossed a grenade at the two humans guarding the interior entrance. Heading down the stairs she faced another wave of creepers and more humans. She tossed another sleep grenade, but only 3 went down. Crap...she tossed a second one. Her lootdar went off and she located another stash of grenades…how strangely convenient, considering they had made her batch at the Exo-Geni group. Oh well, best not to look a gift horse in the mouth, it might bite you. She headed up the ramp took out more creepers and lobbed a sleep grenade at the two humans at the end of the ramp.

Heading down the other side of the ramp a crap load of creepers were waiting. No biotics were used, they couldn't risk the colonists. She grabbed her bats she charged one cryo and one incinerate. She started whipping them at the creepers, causing one after the other to explode. Her team waited for them to get close and shot them point blank, that way they could avoid stray bullets taking out the colonists. It took 3-4 more grenades to put the rest of the colonists to sleep.

She hacked into the control and programmed it to lift the freighter out of the way. Fai Dan approached them. He fought the Thorian's control, but in the end he just wasn't strong enough. He chose to end his own life rather than shoot them. It had all happened so fast. Even so, she knew she had time to lob a sleep grenade at him or rip his gun away…why hadn't she? As far as she was aware her head was still on her shoulders and not shoved up her ass. She sighed. It was such a waste of life. They headed down the stairs into the Thorian's lair.

A massive, tentacled, slimy plant…_thing_ barfed up a green asari. "I speak for the old growth, as I did for Saren. You are within and before the Thorian. It demands that you be in awe."

Shepard shook her head. She never much cared for demands. As a soldier she had to swallow a crap-load of them, and they stuck in her craw more often than not. "I'm afraid that's just not going to happen. I'm here to broker a deal. Release your thralls or die. Simple enough for you?" Shepard asked.

The green asari attacked. As soon as she was down, creepers poured out of a side room. Had she mentioned how tired she was of killing? She thought she could feel a blister on her damn trigger finger. She fired an overload chain and walked past the twitching creepers. A huge pulsing tentacle crossed above her head. She pulled out her gun and blasted a hole in the damn thing. The Thorian screamed. Ooh…sweet. I need to find more of those. They headed further up searching for more nerve bundles.

Two more waves of creepers and a green asari later she was able to destroy another nerve bundle. They continued up the stairs. Another two waves of creepers and another green asari later and they located another nerve bundle. This was starting to be like clockwork…but she knew better than to rely on patterns. Patterns, like rules, could be broken too easily.

In a similar pattern they took down two more nerve bundles. Then dropped down to a lower floor and then up a flight of stairs. Prone creepers they had already passed, popped up behind them, flanking them, and came down from the stairs above... catching them in a pincer ambush. Nicely done, Thorian. Still won't save you though.

As they came around a bend, Shepard could see another nerve bundle across the way. She pulled out her sniper and blew it to hell. The creepers didn't even waken from their prone positions. The Thorian grunted, screamed and fell a great distance to the floor below. She sincerely hope it was nothing but a pile of splattered goo now.

An asari fell from a pustule on the wall. "I'm free…I suppose I should thank you for releasing me," Shiala said. She told them that Saren had traded her for the cipher to the Thorian and then sent geth in to kill the Thorian. She spoke of how Matriarch Benezia sought to help Saren walk a gentler path, but had become indoctrinated to Saren's will through the ship he call Sovereign, who had powerful mind control capabilities. She explained that Prothians and their knowledge became a part of the Thorian when it consumed their bodies over 50,000 years ago.

"I need that knowledge to stop Saren," Shepard told her.

"I can transfer the cipher to your mind as I did Saren's." Shiala informed her.

Shepard nodded. As she was receiving the cipher, her head thumped as more pictures poured into it... death destruction, machines, blood…but it included more than the previous vision. She saw two suns and a couple of planets. A possible location or map of sorts? She shook her head. It was a lot to take in and things still weren't all that clear.

"Shepard, are you all right?" Garrus touched her shoulder in worry. "What just happened?"

She put her hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "The cipher seems to have updated what I saw from the beacon. I'm still not completely sure what it's telling me...it's like a partially completed puzzle. Gave me one hell of a headache though."

Shiala told her it would take time for her mind to process the information, but she would eventually understand the vision from the beacon. She also said she would like to stay here and help the people from Zhu's hope recover.

Shepard nodded her approval and headed back to the colonists.

"Exo-Geni will be giving Zhu's Hope all the money it needs to rebuild. It's all thanks to you Commander!" Juliana, Lizbeth's mother, said. She checked on the other people she had met and then returned to the Normandy. "Hit the showers, debriefing in 20," she told them.

When she walked into the comm room, everyone was already seated, waiting for her.

"Commander, you look pale. Have you suffered any ill effects from the cipher?" Liara asked concerned.

"I'm fine. I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything."

"I might be able to help. I'm a Prothean expert. If I joined my consciousness to yours we might be able to make sense of it all," Liara said helpfully…or perhaps hopefully.

When the melding came to an end, Liara explained, "The beacon on Eden Prime must have been badly damaged. The data transferred to the Commander's mind was incomplete. There are large pieces missing from the vision. If Saren has that missing information, then he might have found another beacon." Liara started feeling weak from the meld and asked to go to the med-bay. Shepard dismissed everyone and made her rounds.

Kaidan told her she was important to him and wanted her to know that he would be there for her if she ever needed any help. He then returned to talking about his past, explaining how turian mercs were brought in to train the young human biotics. The one training his group, Vyrnnus, was a nasty piece of work. The turian broke Rhanna's arm because she used her hand to move something instead of her biotics; When Kaidan stood up, the turian beat him and shoved a knife in his face. Kaidan lost it and the turian ended up dead. He ended up losing Rhanna as a friend and Brain camp was closed down not long after. Just goes to show, that good or ill, one person _can_ make a difference.

Liara was feeling much better and they scheduled a vid for later that evening. Shepard asked her about her life as an archeologist.

"I spent most of my life on remote digs; unearthing mundane items buried in long-forgotten Prothean ruins. Not very exciting to most people."

"It sounds dangerous…and lonely," Shepard admitted.

"Sometimes I would run afoul of indigenous life-forms or mercenaries, but I was always careful. Until the geth on Artemis Tau, my biotics kept me safe. As for the solitude, it appealed to me. People expected me to be as my mother was, become a leader of our people. Matriarchs look to the future, maybe that's why I preferred the secrets of the past," Liara explained.

"All children rebel against their parents. It's a natural part of growing up," Shepard stated.

Liara chuckled, "You share the wisdom of the Matriarchs, Shepard. That is exactly what Benezia said when I told her I was going to be an archeologist. But there's more to it…I was drawn to the past…to the Protheans. That is why I find you so fascinating. You were touched by working Prothean technology," she said in wonder.

"Am I a lab rat now?" Shepard asked gently.

"What? No! I never meant to offend you, Shepard. I only meant that you would be an interesting specimen for in-depth study. No – that's even worse!" Liara said, horrified where her mouth was taking her.

"It's okay, Liara. I was only joking," Shepard assured her.

"Joking? Oh, by the Goddess! How could I be so dense? You must think me the fool. This is why I prefer to spend my time with data and dig sites; I tend to embarrass myself around other people," she said apologetically.

She went down to the cargo bay to visit with the rest of her crew. Garrus told her that he has learned a lot from her both from speaking with her and watching how she operated. He told her he couldn't imagine a better teacher…or a better friend.

Oh stars…the friend zone. Maybe she should tell him how she felt? "Garrus, you are more than just a friend to me…" Oh dear…no...she can't do this. He had become too precious to her and she wasn't about to risk what they had. "You are my dearest…my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you." She took his hand, gave it a squeeze and turned to go see Wrex. At least she was able to weave some of what she felt into that.

Damn it, Garrus thought. He had hoped she was going to tell him she wanted to be more than friends…maybe even that she loved him…not relegate him to the friend zone. That's ok. He tried to reassure himself. Maybe that's what she needs right now. He knew how much pressure she was under. If that's what she needed from him, then he would do his best to give it to her.

She asked Wrex to tell her an adventure story. So, he told her about an asari commando he met when they both held the same contract. They split the kill, each taking part of the man, each getting paid for his death. Unfortunately, he discovered one contract he accepted was for the asari's death. When he caught up with her, they shared a laugh over it and then he asked her where she wanted the fight to occur. She chose a merc hangout and they battled for two days. She was injured and he was about to go in for the kill when the space station's core went critical. He barely made it out. He watched it blow from a distance and never saw her leave. When he later received notice she was alive, he notified the diplomat that set the contract and ended up being his personal bodyguard until the day he died. Boring, but easy credits. She laughed at his caginess and moved on to have a word with Ashley.

As she was talking to Ashley she was able to learn more about her. Her grandfather was General Williams, the Shanxi garrison's leader, the only human to surrender to the turians during the First Contact war. That was why her father couldn't advance up the chain of command and that was why she had a long list of crap assignments. Shepard told her that she respected the man. He saved a lot of lives, both military and civilian by surrendering. She also tried to reassure her that she was a valuable member of her team.

Tali thanked her for treating her like a part of the crew, an equal, rather than a second-class citizen. Not many treat quarians that fairly. She appreciated Shepard's thoughtfulness. Shepard assured Tali that she was a highly respected member of her team and that she would miss her when she returned back to the flotilla.

As the days went by they were sent on more grunt missions for the alliance. At least the Alliance was asking rather than demanding her help. That was a nice change. She deactivated a bomb, killed a negotiation with a merc, retrieved data from a lost probe, killed a diplomat's blackmailing, criminal sister and various other assignments. But, they were simple missions, left her with a lot of down time in between. Mass relay travel and FTL speed were nice, but not instantaneous, at least not in most cases.

Garrus also came to realize his _beating her system_ trick didn't always beat the system. Perhaps because his need to protect her and claim her was getting stronger. Or perhaps he wasn't the only one who figured out the system.

They were on their way back to the Citadel for gas and supplies, and then off to Noveria. When she stepped up to the galaxy map to set in coordinates for the Citadel, Joker informed her she had a top priority message coming in. She headed to the comm room to take the private call.

The Council informed her they had a special task force that sent a message on a critical alert channel, but the message was garbled. It haled from the planet Virmire and pertained to Saren. The assured her they didn't want to know the details of what she intended to do, they just wanted to inform her of the Virmire option. She thanked them and headed back to the map. She would be sure to hit Virmire as soon as they left Noveria. After this she was damn well going to take a vacation. At least she sure as hell hoped she could. She and her crew needed a break. A couple of weeks of shore leave would do everyone a lot of good.

Chapter 5

Liara T'Soni

Shepard boarded the Normandy and continued onto the bridge.

"I heard what happened to Captain Anderson. Survives 100 battles and then gets taken down by backroom politics. Just watch your back, Commander. Things go bad and you'll be the next head to roll," Joker said.

"I hate it. It's like I'm stealing the ship from him. I had already bought my own ship, the Hawk, but Anderson and Udina both believe the Normandy is my only real chance in stopping Saren," Shepard admitted.

Joker whistled. "Yeah, the captain got screwed. But they were right. The Hawk is a damned nice frigate, but I don't see how you can accomplish the mission without the Normandy's capabilities or my piloting genius. Just know, everybody on this ship is behind you 100 percent, Commander," Joker replied.

Shepard opened the com. "This is Commander Shepard. We have our orders: find Saren before he finds the Conduit. The fate of the entire galaxy is at stake. There has never been a more important mission and I can guarantee it won't be easy. Our enemy knows we're coming. Wherever he goes…we'll be there. We will hunt him to the very ends of the galaxy and take him down! I promise you all…Saren _will_ fall!" She released the comm and took a deep breath.

"Nicely done, Commander. The captain would be proud," Joker said.

"The captain gave up everything so I could have this chance. We can't fail. We won't!" Shepard said grimly and quit the bridge.

"Yes, ma'am," Joker replied.

The first thing she did was move her stuff from the XO's cabin to the captain's cabin, so that Pressly could have her old cabin. She settled Geordi's cage on a shelf and smiled. Geordi had been her pet hamster since she was 10 years old. She had chosen him because he was blind. It had been her goal to make him see again.

She had spent months in the lab, researching theories and running simulations. She settled on using her frozen cord stem cells. To get the aggressive growth and response she needed she chose a particularly nasty virus. It was painstaking work, altering and molding the virus into something usable. By the time she merged virus and stem cells, she knew she had something…maybe something big. The cells tore through every infected blood sample that she tried them on. Then, she did the one thing that every mad scientist fell victim to. She tested the cells on herself. Genius or not, she was only ten years old.

With no adverse reactions, she tried it on 4 mice that had been exposed to something fatal and were quarantined in the lab. Within hours they were showing more signs of life, within two days you'd never know they'd been ill. She took blood samples and compared them to healthy mice. Outside of the cells moving and reproducing faster than normal, there were no other anomalies. She felt comfortable giving the treatment to Geordi.

She'd taken fastidious notes, outlined every step she took along the way. Within hours you could see the milkiness begin to fade from Geordi's eyes. Within a day his eyes were clear and black…he could see. Her dad was the lead doctor on the ship. She had been so excited about what she'd done. When she'd showed him her notes, he had at first been impressed. He had her show him the blood slides and the mice she'd used. By the time he'd poured over ever step and its ramifications, he'd become frantic. He injected the mice, putting them down. He then collected everything, her notes, the blood slides; he took it all down to the incinerator and tossed it in. Through the door they could see the mice dancing in the flames, before there was nothing left of them.

Her dad shook her. "Remember this, Arianna. By all rights I should throw Geordi in there as well. Leave no trace at all of what you've done. But he is the best reminder I can leave you. Never experiment blindly. What you've accomplished might look like a good thing…but those blood samples? They were as fresh and alive as if they were just drawn. Those mice? They were dead, but didn't stay dead. And you have that inside of you. Come on." He grabbed her hand and headed back to the lab.

They put their heads together to try to create a kill-switch. He looked down at his daughter. "Do you know why I destroyed everything?"

"Because I created something bad?"

He grabbed his daughter's hand, held it immobile and sliced her palm with a scalpel. She hissed in pain and tried to pull away, but her father's grip was tight. The wound knitted back together. He stared at the pale scar line. "No, not bad per say…and you didn't create it with malicious intent…but if what you did was ever discovered, it has the propensity to be used for great evil, even by our own government. Imagine super soldiers who could heal instantly and not be killed? Sounds good at first, but the atrocities they could commit are astronomical. And eventually they would turn on their handlers, their commanders, because power corrupts, it is the nature of the beast. And when they turn, very little could stop them. Before you ever do a thing, you must think of the future ramifications, and see the whole picture, because the road to Hell is often paved with good intensions. I know that is cliché, but there is nothing more absolute…or more true."

They had little luck finding a kill switch, but they were able to alter the cells just enough that if they left her body, they died instantly. She couldn't accidently infect someone if she were injured, nor could blood removed from her body be studied. It wasn't the perfect solution, and until her dad died when she was fourteen, he never gave up trying to find a kill-switch. The day her dad died was the day she stepped out of the lab and never went back.

She turned her brain towards technology. The lessons her dad taught her she took to heart. Any toy she created would only respond to her DNA or her fingerprints. She shook her head, breaking free of the past and gave Geordi a scratch behind his head.

She wanted to check in with her crew and make sure everyone was getting settled in okay. She took the stairs down, circled around the elevator and saw Kaidan busy working at a terminal. They had a brief talk about the Eden Prime mission and the Council, and then she headed back to the elevator and took it down to the cargo bay. When the door opened she looked around. Wrex was talking to a crew member, Ashley was busy cleaning and modding weapons and Garrus appeared to be tinkering with the mako. Sure as hell hope he knows what he's doing!

She went to speak with Garrus first. There wasn't really much of a choice. She was drawn to him and needed to find out why. He wasn't really her type, so she knew that couldn't be it. She preferred beautiful men, muscles, big eyes and sensitive, romantic demeanor. She knew that was shallow of her, but you can't help what turns you on. Garrus was skinny, small eyed, hot-headed, and being a turian – probably as sensitive and romantic as a rock. Ok, that wasn't really fair. She did find herself liking Nihlus and he was a turian. If she was honest with herself, she was probably just a bit put out with him for firing on the man holding Dr. Michel. Taking out the man was more important to him than insuring the doctor's safety. That just didn't fly with her. Come to think of it she was put out with Wrex for killing Fist, but then she wasn't drawn to Wrex.

"Garrus, how do you like the Normandy?" she asked him.

"It's beautiful ship, Commander. I can't wait to put her through her paces. See what she can do." His mandibles spread wide in anticipation.

"Shepard, please…I'm flying as a Spectre now, not military."

"OK...Shepard," he said slowly.

A shiver went down her back. Damn me if he doesn't have a sexy voice. "Did you find something wrong with the mako?" she asked.

"Nothing I couldn't handle. I was just calibrating the weapons and shields for greater efficiency." He responded with a shrug. "I wanted to thank you for bringing me on board…Shepard. I knew working with a Spectre would be better than life at C-Sec."

"What do you mean? Have you worked with a Spectre before?"

"Well, no," he admitted. "But I know what they're like."

"Do you?" she said with a smile. "We are not all alike, Garrus…and I think you will come to find that I can be very…different."

"Then we will share that distinction, Shepard. At least I will not be _different_ alone now," his mandibles gave a slight flare. "But what I meant was Spectres make their own rules. You're free to handle things your way. At C-Sec, you're buried by rules. The damn bureaucrats are always on your back."

"True, but those rules are usually there to provide safety for everyone involved," she responded.

"Maybe. But sometimes it feels the rules are only there to stop me from doing my job. If I'm trying to take down a suspect, it shouldn't matter how I do it, as long as I do it. That's why I left," he said frustrated.

"If you become what you hunt, then you are no better than the criminal. Saren never let anything or anyone get in his way. He would kill hundreds if they came between him and his target. Is that what you want to be? Ruthless and cold? Finish the job at any cost?"

"Well, no. Not when you put it that way. That's not what I want to be," he said pausing a moment. "How C-Sec handled the Saren case is very typical. That's why I joined with you, er – teamed up with you. It's a chance for me to see how things are done outside of C-Sec. It will be nice to get a job done without all the red tape."

"I still have a moral code that I follow, Garrus. I did not sacrifice my soul to become a Spectre. I do not put innocents in danger for the sake of the mission. I find a better way. If this is something you can agree with, then I'm sure we will work very well together."

"I understand, Shepard. And thank you. I look forward to being under you." Shepard's smile nearly knocked him on his ass. He wheezed in a breath before he remembered to breathe again. Spirits. That was going to take some getting used to. What did he say to earn that smile? Then his mouth fell open and his mandibles dropped. He did not just say that to his commander.

"I know what you meant, Garrus, and I'm glad you are here. I look forward to being…_on top of _you," she said with a wink and headed over to check in on Wrex.

Wrex was an interesting man. They discussed how the deployment of the genophage had caused most krogan babies to die in the womb, that it was slowly causing his people to go extinct. He also told her how krogan preferred fighting to science and therefore were not trying to find a cure for it. He had pretty much given up on krogans all together.

"Sometimes a single person can make a difference, Wrex," she told him.

"I'm not you, Shepard," he grumbled.

"You don't have to be," she said with a smile.

Wrex watched her go…still a little fazed by her smile. He just knew things were going to get interesting with that one.

As she approached Ashley, she noticed the woman looked sad. "What are you thinking about, Ashley?"

"Eden Prime. I just wish you could have gotten there sooner," Ashley admitted.

"I know. I do too. We came as soon as we got the distress call, but even with the fastest ship in the fleet, there was just not enough time."

"You did everything you could. It's my fault. I should have been more prepared…more alert." Ashley rocked her hip against the table in aggravation.

"It wouldn't have mattered how alert you were. There were too many. That you survived at all is a bloody miracle," Shepard assured her and took her leave.

One more crew member and they could be on their way. She knew not every captain spent time with their crew, but she intended to. She wanted to get to know them. She wanted them to know they were important to her, that they weren't expendable. She was determined to earn both their respect and their trust.

As she stepped into the engineering room, Chief Engineer Adams waved her down.

"That quarian is amazing! I wish my guys were half as smart as she is. Give her a month on board and she'll know more about our engines than I do! She's got a real knack for technology. I can see why you wanted her to come along," Adams said with respect. He noticed Shepard eyeing his console and shook his head. "Don't even go there, Commander. You were not brought aboard the Normandy to improve her or maintain her. That's my job. I don't care how smart you are…you need to stay focused on Saren and let me do my job…with all due respect, ma'am." Adams flushed.

Shepard chuckled. "Not so subtle, Adams. Carry on," she said with a nod and continued on to Tali.

"Your ship is amazing! Most of our ships are second-hand, some as old as 300 years. I can't believe you fit that drive core in a ship this small. I had no idea Alliance vessels were so advanced," Tali stated with excitement.

"The Normandy is a turian-human design prototype. Cutting edge technology."

"Well, thank you for bringing me with you. Being on a ship like this is a dream come true for me."

The days rolled by quickly as they made their way Therum and T'Soni. She was glad they had this time to get to know each other and be more comfortable around each other. They were soon going to have to depend on each other and that is easier if it's not a stranger at your back.

When Joker had informed her that they were nearing Therum, she commed Tali and Kaidan and told them to meet her in the cargo bay in 5.

She was surprised to see her team lined up. "I assume you were made aware of my...eccentricities?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Kaidan said. "I brought them all up to speed on your operation protocol."

"Thank you, Kaidan, it sure helps with the awkward explanations," she said shooting him a smile. She closed her eyes and forced the sight. When she opened them a beautiful rainbow greeted her. "I'm not sure if any of you care to know what your auras look like, but I will tell you anyway, for grins and giggles."

"Tali, your aura is pale green with light grey swirls, sweet, caring, yet determined. Wrex, your aura has oranges and reds pulsing together, assertive. Kaidan, your aura is a mirage of blues, calming, centered. Garrus, your aura has greens and blues throbbing and rolling like the waves of an ocean. Ashley, your aura has greens and browns swirling together, strength and fortitude. You all have strong, clean aura's, but two are just a bit brighter. Wrex and Garrus suit up."

Shepard made her goodbyes and headed to her cabin. Time to have a chat with Dr. T'Soni. She suited up and headed down to the Cargo bay. Garrus and Wrex were waiting for her beside the mako. She closed her eyes and focused her sight. She looked over both men and nodded to herself. "Did Kaidan explain my good-luck system?"

Garrus' mandibles made a quick up and down movement and Wrex gave a bark of laughter. "He sure did...so which of us gets the first kiss?" Wrex asked with a big grin on his face.

She walked over to Wrex, pulled down on the neck of his armor and placed a soft kiss on his lower jutting lip. He picked her up, spun her around and let her go with another bark of laughter. He slid a look to Garrus and caught the cold glare before Garrus turned around. Wrex gave another bark of laughter. This was just too much fun.

The moment Garrus saw Shepard walk towards Wrex a wave of relief hit him hard. It was better this way. Better or not, he could not stop the tide of jealousy and resentment that washed over him when he saw their lips meet, when he saw Wrex wrap her in his arms. He turned around and stepped into the mako.

The Normandy's rear hatch opened and mako rolled out. She fired the thrusters as the neared the ground to lessen the impact. Garrus sat beside her taking care of navigation and scanners. Wrex sat behind her on the guns, just the way he liked it. Garrus scanned the area and pulled up a map. Stars, Joker…did you have to drop us so far away?

They rounded the first bend and were just about to round a second when a geth dropship dropped two armatures in front of them. Damned shield suckers. She rocked back and forth trying to avoid fire while Wrex took them down.

They crossed another land bridge and Garrus warned of enemy targets ahead. She slowed down and approached cautiously. Three rocket turrets defended a large metal door. She used the rock outcroppings as cover and hung her ass out far enough for Wrex to take pot shots at the turrets. In this way they were able to take them out without much damage to the mako. As they approached the hanger they realized there was no way in, so she backed up to circle around and find another entrance.

They slipped through a break in the rock wall and followed it around, as she drove under a metal platform another turret fired on them. They were in the open and exposed. "Wrex! Take it down!" she yelled.

"What do you think I'm doing back here? Scratching my ass?" Wrex grumbled loudly.

They edged around the turret after it was destroyed and several geth troopers began firing at them . They jumped from the mako. She ordered them to cover. "Take a knee!" She told them as she took out her sniper. They looked at her strangely until they saw her take out her sniper. Garrus nodded his approval, Wrex grumbled.

The head flew off one of the troopers. Nice shot. She looked over at Garrus when he yelled, "Scratched one!" He turned to her and spread his mandibles wide and nodded. Looks like she was in for a bit of competition. She wasn't about to let anyone take her title without a fight.

They hopped back into the mako when the last geth fell and proceeded into the facility. She needed to get the doors open, so time to explore the buildings. In the first one she entered she found some interesting mods, but nothing more. A geth was stationed in the second building. She sent an overload charge at it and kept going. The gunfire behind her told her that her team was taking care of the geth. She grabbed some omni-gel out of a locker and slammed her hand to big green pad and the doors cranked open.

They headed across the compound to the other buildings. Wrex grunted, "Nothing but, rocks, dirt, and lava…reminds me of home."

"Sounds hospitable..." she said sarcastically.

"Not even on its best days," Wrex said with a smile.

Absolutely nothing in the first building. Another geth was found in the second building. She raised her hand, sent a sonic wave and moved on to slap the green release pad. She could still hear the geth warbling; apparently when she tossed it had gone through the open ceiling. Oops. She flipped on her omni-tool and scanned the area. She followed the ping out of the building to the catwalk between the buildings. She could hear it, but she couldn't see it. She fired another sonic wave. It tossed the geth to the ground a few yards away, it put up a holo-shield. She poured bullets into the shield, but it wouldn't go down. What? It was like she was firing blanks. She was going to turn her pistol into Williams and have her look at it. She pulled her shotgun, but Wrex and Garrus had already blown it to hell. She shrugged. Can't win them all, and headed back to the mako.

As they exited the facility a geth armature activated. Did these geth have no sense of self preservation? Apparently, they too had to complete their mission regardless the cost. And the cost was going to be great indeed, because she had no intention of letting that happen.

Seems the road was going to be littered with armatures. They took down a second rounded a bend and three fired down at her. By the time the second was downed, Garrus yelled, "Shields are at 20% back off, Shepard." As she was backing away they were nailed again by another ball of energy and a warning started beeping, shields were all but gone. She dodged behind a rock outcropping and the wait was on. It was a slow nightmare waiting for mako shields to repair.

She turned in her seat to look at Garrus while he was making small talk with Wrex. Why was she being pulled towards this man?

Garrus felt the weight of her stare and turned towards her. Neither seemed to be able to look away. Neither said a word.

"So that's the way it's going to be," Wrex said looking from one to the other. Both ignored him. He wasn't much used to that and didn't much care to be ignored. "You can gawk at each other later, lovebirds, our shields are up!" Wrex growled loudly.

They both jumped and faced forward. Garrus cleared his throat and scanned for enemies. Shepard felt the heat creeping into her face. Damn she hated blushing. What _was _that? Was she attracted to him? Is that what the pull was? No, couldn't be. She'd been attracted to people in the past and had never felt the pull. So, something else was up. Attracted to him or not, there was another reason she was being drawn to him. She just needed to figure out what it was.

"I'm seeing six enemy signatures ahead, Shepard" Garrus said, his voice cracking over her name. He cleared his throat again. Spirits. He needed to get his head out of his ass. That was his commander, a woman he respected. He needed to take a step back and regroup. He _would_ control this…whatever it was he was feeling. He would not let it interfere with their mission.

She pulled up next to a rock outcropping and they disembarked. "Take a knee," she said and pulled her sniper. They took the geth troopers down pretty fast. But she'd put five high explosive rounds into the geth colossus and it looked no worse for wear. Time for the big guns. Shit! A ball of blue was coming at her. She dove to the side; her face still tingled from the energy ball's near hit.

"That was cutting things a bit close, Shepard," Garrus said, unable to keep the worry from his voice.

"I'm tougher than I look," she told him.

"Maybe so, but let me have a look," Garrus said. He gently touched her chin and moved her head to the side so he could see the damage. The side of her face was bright red with a few blisters. "That's going to sting for awhile," he said softly and gave her a dose of medi-gel.

"Not as long as you'd think."

He raised his eyebrow plate, dropped his hand from her chin, and backed away to put some distance between them so that he could breath…and think.

"I heal quickly," she assured him. She cocked her head at him. "You don't have to stand so far away. I don't bite…well, not _too_ hard anyway," she said as she hopped back into the mako.

That thought sent a shiver down Garrus' back and he didn't want to look too closely at the why of it.

They headed up the ramp to a tunnel. "Two signatures scanned, Shepard. Probably at the end of this tunnel." As they skirted through the tunnel, no enemies ambushed them, so Garrus had been correct. She pulled over and climbed out of the mako. She pulled her sniper, hunkered down and made her way to the edge of the tunnel. There were three geth firing rockets at them. The rockets were hitting low, so she took aim blew the head off the farthest one. The one on the left exploded, while she took a bead on the geth that was lying on the ground shooting rockets. She pulled the trigger and it spun off to the left, a flaming wreck.

They climbed back in the mako and took the ramp down.

"You're a pretty good shot there, Shepard. It takes a lot to impress me, but I'm impressed. Of course, you're not as good as I am, but very impressive for an engineer," Garrus said.

She slammed on the brakes and Wrex gave a bark of laughter.

She swung her head around and sent Garrus a cold stare. "Impressive for an engineer? I couldn't have been more offended if you'd said impressive for a human or impressive for a woman. I'll have you know that being an engineer does not hamper my ability with a gun. I can out-shoot just about anyone and I'm the best shot on the ship…and it's not because everyone else is lousy…it's because I'm that damned good!" She told him crossly.

Garrus held his hands up. "I'm sorry, Shepard. I didn't mean to offend you. I've just never met an engineer that has had that kind of training in weapons. I just wanted to give you a compliment. My wording was…thoughtless."

"No...I'm sorry. You couldn't have known that was a touchy subject with me. I had to work hard for people to see past my brains and take me seriously as a soldier. But just so you know…I don't intend to just hand my title over to you. If you want best shot on the ship, I'm going to make you work for it."

Garrus threw his head back and laughed. "That's a challenge I can't ignore. And when I win that title, I expect you to present it to me personally."

They shook on it. "Your face is better, by the way," Garrus said quietly.

"I told you I heal quickly."

She drove across the rocky plain towards another tunnel in the distance. Once in the tunnel Garrus warned them of two synthetic signatures up ahead. They took them out and continued until Garrus warned of more synthetic signatures. She hopped out, took a knee and head shot two geth with her sniper. There was one more down there, but she couldn't see it. She aimed and shot its cover. It jumped away from the cover and she shot him in the chest. He burst into flame, flew into the air and went flying into the lava lake nearby. Sweet! Double death! She turned to Garrus and gave him a smug look. "Ah, Garrus you are making this too easy for me. If you intend to take my title…you best do better than that."

"Is that how it's going to be, Shepard? You're on. You, dear lady, will soon be under me..er – title-wise," he said, very grateful turians couldn't blush…or at least grateful that it didn't show. He caught another smile from Shepard and his heart gave a painful thud.

Wrex saw Garrus stiffen. Poor kid, he must have been struck by one of her smiles. It could bring the best of us low, he commiserated. He walked over to Garrus and gave him a pat on the back. Garrus stumbled forward, but tried to remain cool about it.

They climbed back into the mako. When the path came to an end, Garrus pointed out a small opening. "Looks like we're on foot from here," Garrus said.

"Perhaps not," she said. "Hang on." She rammed the rocks and turned to the right. She backed up and rammed it again, her tires caught and the mako tilted on its side. She got hung up on a rock outcropping on the other side. She backed up and rocked forward, turning towards the left. Still stuck. She backed up a bit further, turned the wheels towards the left and was able to pull free. They were in. And immediately under fire. "I have nowhere to go…just shoot!" she told Wrex.

"I'm shooting! I'm shooting!" he growled.

They took down three geth and proceeded up the path. They came to a heavily fortified area. Geth were shooting from the ground and from on high. She had no place to go, so she and Garrus just sat there watching Wrex blow each of them away with the cannon.

"Maybe we should get out and play. Wrex here is having all the fun."

"I have a feeling we'll be getting out all too soon. But no reason why we can't have a little fun while Wrex is busy. What would you like to do? Compare embarrassing stories? Play a card game? Or…?" she asked Garrus.

Garrus' mandibles dropped when his mind went somewhere it shouldn't. "Fun, yes...I, er – hmmm…I think I have a deck of cards." Cards...right. Because cards were certainly topmost on his mind right now. Spirits. Someone needed to bitch-slap his mind out of the gutter, because his armor was getting more uncomfortable by the minute.

"Very funny you pyjaks – Wrex wants to blow up more geth, so get a move on it."

They made their way slowly through the maze of rocks up the hill towards the compound. When they reached the compound a geth dropship rained down more toys to play with. Wrex laughed in glee and started blowing everything to bits.

Shepard and Garrus looked at each other. "I've got something to pass the time. My grandpa told me this when I was little:

Ladies and Gentlemen, do not doubt,

I'll tell you a tale I know nothing about;

The Admission is free, so pay at the door,

Now pull up a chair and sit on the floor.

One fine day in the middle of the night,

Two dead boys got up to fight;

Back to back they faced each other,

Drew their swords and shot each other.

A deaf policeman heard the noise and came and shot those two dead boys.

But if you doubt my lies are true,

Just ask the blind man, he saw it too!"

Garrus' mouth and mandibles dropped. What the hell was that? "That was absurd."

"Absolutely. I never said he was a poet!" she said with big grin.

Garrus' mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out.

"Will you stop smiling at the kid, before you kill him," Wrex said. He chuckled when he caught the cold glare Garrus sent him.

"Right…Death by smile, eh Wrex?" she said beaming her smile at him.

Wrex stopped for a moment and just looked. He shook his head. "Don't smile at me either," he grumbled. And it was Garrus' turn to laugh.

"Tough crowd," she mumbled to herself.

"Scanners are clean, Shepard," Garrus told her. They exited the mako and made their way up a ramp and down into the mine. A geth was at the first walkway landing, she blasted it with her shotgun, but it didn't go down. A red ball of energy struck her; she staggered back and fell to a knee.

"Shepard!" Garrus yelled, taking out the geth.

"I'm okay," she said, shaking it off. She caught sight of a geth below them out of the corner of her eye. She turned and blasted it. It screamed and melted into sludge. That's more like it, she thought. Nodding in satisfaction. She released Grim.

Another geth came running across the platform from the right. She raised her hand and sent a sonic wave; it was picked up and thrown to the ground below. She nodded to Garrus and he blew its head off for good measure.

They took the walkway down to an elevator. When the elevator doors came open 3 drones ambushed them. "Overload them!" she yelled and sent an overload charge at the closest one and took it down. The one Garrus sent an overload charge at exploded.

"Shields down!" Garrus yelled.

Shepard jumped in front of him, extended her shield barrier to include him, sent another overload charge at the third drone, but it dodged. Grim sent a bolt at the drone, but Wrex claimed the kill shot for that one. Who was she to argue with an 800 pound krogan?

Garrus nodded and was released from her shield barrier. "Thank you, Shepard. You know I've never seen a Prothean ruin before…besides the Citadel."

"That's not exactly a _ruin_," she said with a chuckle.

"Point. But I wonder what Dr. T'Soni is looking for in here. Most Prothean ruins have nothing more than dead instrumentation."

They continued down the ramp and into another elevator. This one shorted out before reaching the next level. They jumped down to the ramp below and heard someone calling out.

"Hello? Can someone help me please?" a female voice inquired.

Shepard walked up to the blue field, which contained an asari.

"Can you hear me out there? I am trapped. I need help," the woman said.

"Are you Dr. T'Soni? Are you okay? What happened to you?" Shepard asked her.

"Thank the Godess; I did not think anyone would come looking for me. Listen. This thing I'm in is a Prothean security device. I cannot move, so I need you to get me out of it." She said.

"Your mother is working for Saren, are you?" Shepard asked.

"What? No! I may be Benezia's daughter, but I'm nothing like her. I have not spoken to her in years. Please just help me get out of here," Liara said.

"How did you end up in there?" Shepard asked.

"I was exploring the ruins when the geth showed up, so I hid in here. Can you believe that? Geth! Beyond the Veil! I activated the tower's defenses. I knew the barrier curtains would keep them out. When I turned it on I must have hit something I wasn't supposed to," Liara explained.

"We'll find some way to get you out," Shepard assured her.

"There is a control panel in here that should deactivate it. You'll have to find some way past the curtain though. Be careful. There is a krogan with the geth. They have been trying to get past the barrier as well."

"Grim, get in there with Dr. T'Soni and keep her covered."

As she turned around she caught movement in the distance. "Take a knee!" She pulled out her sniper and a geth hiding behind what appeared to be a very large engine. She turned it to sludge and focused on the geth that had been beside it. She managed to take it down before it could get into cover. A third geth had come from the side of the engine and lobbed a red energy ball at her. She rolled out of the way; the disks slipped out of her boots and propelled her down to the geth. But one of her team took it down in the span it took her to get there.

"Damn it!" Garrus swore and took off after Shepard, Wrex hot on his heels.

She scanned the floor, but could not pick up any more signatures. Her lootdar sent her over to a storage shed. She collected the ammo she found and ignored the guns in the second shed. She didn't need them.

Then she turned and headed back to the huge engine and discovered it was a mining laser. She hacked into it and a molten laser beam cut into the rock, melting its way through to the other side of Liara's chamber. They gave it a few moments to cool and headed into the newly made tunnel. They passed through a non-activated chamber and found an elevator lift that they took up to Liara's chamber.

As they approached her backside, she turned her head as far as she could. "How did you get in here? I didn't think there was a way past the barrier," Liara said.

"I used a mining laser. Now, how do we get you out of there before more geth arrive?" Shepard asked her.

"That button there," she said pointing, "should shut down my containment field."

The containment field winked out. "You know that would have been a lot easier had you given me hands."

"A drone with hands. Why didn't I think of that? Oh! Maybe because you're a hologram? Don't be sore, Grim. Despite your limitations, you still managed to bring the curtain down."

Liara turned to face her rescuer gratefully. "That's quite the impressive drone you have. It kept me at ease and made me laugh, while it was trying to deactivate the curtain."

"Grim…well, he's one of a kind. Do you know the fastest way out of here?"

"There is an elevator back in the center of the tower. At least, I think it's an elevator. It should take us out of here…Come on, it's this way!" Liara told them. "Do you know why the geth are after me? Do you think Benezia is involved?"

"Saren's looking for the Conduit. You're a Prothean expert. He probably wants you to help him find it."

"The Conduit? But, I don't know - "

A rumbling noise startled them. "What the hell was that?"

"These ruins are not stable. That mining laser must have triggered a seismic event. We have to hurry; the whole place could cave in," Liara said as she activated the elevator.

"Joker! Get the Normandy airborne and lock in on my signal. Now," Shepard demanded.

"Aye-Aye, Commander. Secure and aweigh. ETA in eight minutes," Joker replied.

"I don't think we have eight minutes, Shepard!" Garrus pointed out.

"If I die, I'm going to kill him!" Wrex growled.

When the elevator came to a stop four geth and a krogan approached them. Liara ducked down on the ground. "Guard her, Grim!" She turned her attention to the enemies.

"Surrender. Or don't." The krogan shrugged. "That would be more fun."

"Fun for me, I imagine…not so much for you." Shepard warned him.

"Ha! I like your attitude!" The krogan said.

She fired an overload charge at the krogan, and then hit him with a cryo bolt. She turned to focus on the geth. She grabbed her bats and uncoiled them. She flicked each hand at a geth. The coils wrapped around the necks, she gave a sharp jerk and the heads rolled free. She left the remaining geth to her team when she saw the smile spread on the krogan's face. She held up her hand and sent a sonic wave that slammed him up against the wall and held him there. "I believe I told you this wouldn't be fun for you. Care to know how this ends?" she asked him.

The krogan gave her a smile "I'm Ganar Cleet; you'd make a damn fine krogan."

Shepard smiled at him. "Commander Shepard. Spectre. If I let you go will you walk away?"

Cleet stared at the woman in front of him. Her smile left him breathless, his heart slamming in his chest. "Saren wants the asari. I will bring her to him," he said thickly.

"I will kill you if you try to take her," Shepard pointed out.

"I'd rather die by your hand, pretty lady, than Saren's. I trust you will kill me quickly?" he asked.

Shepard nodded. "That is unfortunate. Good bye, Ganar Cleet." She held her shotgun under his chin and pulled the trigger. When she turned the last geth was falling.

The rumbling began in earnest and they beat feet like the hounds of hell were licking at their heels. The shaking intensified, dust and boulders rained down upon them. "Move it!" she yelled and followed her team. She made sure she was always the last to leave a location, the last to board the ship. As they hit the exit of the mine shaft, a belch of sulfer and ash followed them out.

She was never more thankful that she had brought the mako in with them. They hopped in the mako and hit the thrusters, slamming in through the cargo bay's open hatch, while Joker got them out of there.

"Hit the showers everyone, we'll meet up in the comm room in 20." She knew she stank to high hell. The sulfur clung to her like a second skin. She dropped her armor off at the armory to have it finely detailed, and then she hurried off to her cabin, careful to avoid as many people as she could. She peeled off her under-suit, tossed it down the laundry chute and stepped into the hot shower. She grabbed her luffa, poured a liberal amount of vanilla spice gel onto it and scrubbed her skin pink.

As she walked into the comm room, Joker was quick to voice his opinion on their departure.

"Too close, Commander. Ten more seconds and we would've been swimming in molten sulfur. The Normandy isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull. Just for future reference," Joker said sarcastically.

"We almost died out there and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara asked.

"It's a coping mechanism, you'll get used to it," Shepard explained.

"I see. It must be a human thing. I don't have a lot of experience dealing with your species, Commander," Liara said. "But I am grateful to you. You saved my life back there. Not just from the volcano. Those geth would have killed me or dragged me off to Saren."

"What did Saren want with you? Do you know something about the Conduit?" Kaidan asked Liara.

"Only that is was connected to the Prothean extinction. I have spent the last fifty years trying to piece together what happened to them," Liara told them.

"Fifty years? How old are you, if you don't mind me asking."

"I hate to admit it, but I'm only 106," Liara said with embarrassment.

"Damn! I hope I look that good when I'm your age," Ashley said in awe.

"Among the asari, I am barely considered more than a child," Liara admitted. "That is why my research has not received the attention it deserves, why my theories are dismissed."

"What is your theory?" Shepard asked her.

"According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysteriously vanish. This cycle began long before them; it has repeated itself many times over. The galaxy is built on a cycle of extinction. Each time a great civilization rises up, it suddenly and violently cast down. Only ruins survive. I've dedicated my life to figuring out how and why they vanished."

"They were wiped out by a race of sentient machines. The Reapers," Shepard told her.

"The Reapers? But I have never heard of – How do you know this? What evidence do you have?" Liara asked skeptically.

"There was a damaged Prothean beacon on Eden Prime. It burned a vision into my brain. I'm still trying to sort out just what it means."

"That makes sense. The beacons were designed to transmit information directly into the user's mind. Finding one that works is very rare. But the beacons were programmed to interact with Prothean physiology. I am amazed you were able to make sense of it at all. A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed by the process. You must be extremely strong willed, Commander," Liara said in awe.

"This isn't helping us find Saren or the Conduit," Garrus interrupted. He didn't like the asari fawning all over Shepard like that.

"If Saren wants you dead or alive, I can't think of a better place for you to be than here," Shepard told her. "Welcome to the team, Liara."

"Thank you, Commander. I am very grate – whoa." Liara's took a weak step backwards, her hand going to her head. "I'm afraid I'm feeling light-headed."

"Dr. Chakwas should look you over," said Kaidan.

"Yes, we can talk more after you've seen the doctor, Liara. The rest of you…dismissed," Shepard said.

She sent her report to the council and commed them for a debriefing on the mission. Sparatus was an ass as always. She doubted he'd ever forgive her for becoming involved with Nihlus. The other two were remarkable cordial to her and wished her well.

Time to shake down her crew...it would be awhile before they arrived at their next mission. Kaidan was at his usual spot, so she stopped in to see him first.

"Can I have a word with you, Commander?"

"Absolutely. What can I help you with?"

"Saren is off to bring down all galactic civilization and the council doesn't want to help? Sorry, Commander, but the writing's on the wall here and someone isn't reading it," Kaidan said frustrated.

"I guess it is in the nature of all beings to ignore what they don't want to face." She then questioned him about his past.

He told her about 'brain camp' where the first human biotics were studied and trained. How perhaps all element zero exposures weren't accidental… And about a girl named Rahna that he'd been sweet on. "She was smart, charming as hell; beautiful, but not stuck up about it. Like you…ma'am," he told her. "Out of curiosity, do you make a habit of getting this personal with everyone?"

She flushed a bit. "I guess I do. I tend to have a big nose. If it makes you uncomfortable, let me know."

"I'm not uncomfortable, just trying to…uh, figure you out," he said.

Shepard laughed and shot him a smile. "If you manage it, let me know…I've been trying for years. I've enjoyed getting to know you, Kaidan. We'll talk more later."

"I'd…like that," he said, his voice cracking. How does she do that to me? He thought as she walked away. A look...a word…a smile…and I'm blown away. She's my commander. I have no business feeling this way about her. But whenever I'm around her, I'm this tangled mess inside. He turned to get back to the work he'd been doing. But he couldn't keep his mind focused; it kept slipping back to his commander. Time to hit the fitness room…give himself another outlet.

Shepard headed over to the med-bay to check on Liara and see if she was feeling any better. She asked Dr. Chakwas about Liara and she pointed to the back room. Shepard nodded her thanks and continued in to the next room.

Liara jumped up from her console. "Commander, are you coming to check up on me?"

"Shepard please, Liara. You are looking much better. How are you feeling?"

"Dr. Chakwas assures me I'm going to be fine. I was impressed with her knowledge of asari physiology."

"You're in good hands with Chakwas. She's the best. I trust her."

"I know you took a chance bringing me aboard this ship. I have seen the way your crew looks at me. They do not trust me," she said sadly. "But I am not Benezia. I will do whatever I can to help you stop Saren."

"I trust you, Liara. And they will too in time."

"Thank you, Commander. That means a lot to me," Liara said in relief.

"Just call me Shepard, Liara," she reiterated. "You don't have to be so formal. Do you know why Benezia would have joined with Saren?"

"I don't understand it, this is not like her. Something changed. She was always so outspoken about the need for the asari to become more involved with galactic events. Maybe she thought allying herself with Saren would somehow be for the greater good in the long run. At least, I hope so."

"We'll figure out what happened," she assured Liara with a smile, before turning and leaving.

Liara sat down in her chair. Hard. Goddess! That was some smile, she thought…still in a bit of shock. It seemed she was going to have to guard herself, for she was already liking Shepard too much as it was.

Shepard circled around to the elevator and took it down to the cargo hold. She nodded at the supply man and headed over to Garrus.

"Shepard …It's good to see you," Garrus told her.

"Glad to hear it. It'd be a might awkward if you couldn't stand being around me," she said with a smile.

"Er – Yeah…hmmm," he cleared his throat. "I don't think that will ever be a problem…I mean it takes a lot for someone to stay on my bad side."

"Good to know. Out of curiosity, why did you choose to become a C-Sec officer?"

"Hmmm…Good question. Probably the same as most officers. I wanted to fight injustice and help people. I guess my father had something to do with it too. He was C-Sec. One of the best. I grew up hearing about his accomplishments or seeing his picture on the vids after a big arrest. He's taking my resignation pretty hard," he admitted.

'He's not impressed that you are going after Saren?"

"He thinks I'm being too rash…too impatient. He's worried I'll become just like Saren. He actually talked me out of becoming a Spectre when I was younger. For the same reasons."

"You were asked to be a Spectre?" She was impressed.

"I was targeted as a possible Spectre candidate. Me and about a thousand other turian military recruits. My father didn't allow me to have special training. He despises Spectres. He hates the idea of someone having unlimited power with no accountability. He wouldn't like you, Shepard. No offense," Garrus remarked.

"I can understand his concern. Power and corruption usually go hand in hand," she acknowledged.

"But we need that power if we want to nail Saren. Saren isn't going to play by the rules and I don't think we'll be able to either," he told her.

"Just because you _can_ break the rules, doesn't mean you have to. I don't need to stoop to Saren's level of depravity to stop him. And neither do you, Garrus," she admonished.

"Thank you, Shepard. I will think about what you've said. And Shepard?"

"Yes?"

"I've never seen anyone fight the way you do. Your tech could rival any biotic - and your weapons…Grim…, they are like nothing I've ever seen before. You're an impressive woman, Shepard. I'm surprised your Alliance hasn't reproduced them in mass. Though, I'd hate to see those weapons in the hands of anyone else."

Shepard flushed. "Thank you, Garrus. The Alliance cannot reproduce them. I will not release the specs on them…the specs are in my head and nowhere else. My toys are programmed for my DNA and fingerprints and if anyone tries to use them or disassemble them…well, they are in for a rude awakening…my toys will self-destruct. Oh not in a grandiose fashion, no one will be hurt, but the interior will melt into an unrecognizable mess. My father taught me a long time ago to think ahead. Consequences can ripple out in unimaginable ways. As an old vid once said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' My brain is my power…my greatest weapon and I must always wield it with judicious care."

Garrus was stunned by her forethought. Not only was she smart, beautiful and deadly – she was also wise. An intriguing and rare combination. "I wish more people held your conviction."

She nodded, gave him a soft smile and headed over to talk to Wrex.

Garrus watched her go and sighed. She did it to him again. Spirits…How do you prepare yourself for a smile like that? Maybe he would have to suck it up and talk to Wrex. Maybe he had the answers. He watched as Wrex melted into a puddle at her feet. Damn. There goes that idea. Probably for the best anyway, Wrex didn't need any more ammunition to use against him. He turned back to the console, but couldn't concentrate. Maybe he'd just go hit the fitness room…a workout might do him some good.

Shepard was smiling when she walked up to Wrex. She was eager to find out what neat little tidbits Wrex would tell her today. Even more surprising today's story involved Saren. Apparently, he and a bunch of other mercs had been hired to raid a massive cargo freighter, a volus trading vessel. Nothing on the ship but food and medical supplies. In walks Seran. He said he got a really bad feeling about him and got the hell off the ship without pay. He found out later all the other mercs had turned up dead within a week.

She let him go and went to Ashley. Ashley wanted to talk off the record. She was concerned with all the aliens onboard. Didn't think they should have access to the ships more sensitive areas. She didn't consider the council races anything more than surface allies. She thought we should learn to rely on ourselves, because the council races may not always be our allies. They then went on to discuss boot camp, surprised they had gone to the same one.

"I can understand where your concerns are coming from, Williams. But this is a multilateral mission. You're going to have to work with aliens. I hope it will not be a problem for you," Shepard said with concern.

"It won't be a problem, Commander. You say 'jump,' I say 'how high?' You tell me to kiss a turian, I'll ask which cheek," Ashley responded.

"If there is any turian kissing, I imagine I'll be the one doing it," Shepard said with a laugh and turned to go.

"On that we can agree, ma'am," Ashley said under her breath. She turned back to Shepard's pistol, determined to find out why it went belly up.

Last stop on her rounds today was Tali. As she walked up to her she noticed her shoulders were stooped. "Are you okay, Tali?"

Tali explained how things were so much different here than on the flotilla. It was quiet here, nearly empty, it just felt wrong to her. Like too much was missing. "When I was home I couldn't wait to leave on my pilgrimage, get away from it all, now I miss it," she admitted.

"Maybe the pilgrimage isn't just about finding resources, but about teaching you to appreciate your people and culture," Shepard pointed out.

Tali agreed and thanked Shepard for listening.

"I'm always here for you. Any time you need to talk."

Time to hit the fitness room. She'd been getting a little lax lately.

Chapter 6

Feros

She slipped into a royal blue push-up sports bra. It was thickly padded, kept her in place, and gave her cleavage a nice bump. She removed her belly ring, she hated wearing it when she worked out, she'd had it ripped out sparring once and didn't take chances anymore. She pulled on matching sweat-wicking, form-fitting leggings with a white stripe down the side of her legs. She drew a towel around her neck, grabbed a bottle of water and headed for the fitness room.

The fitness room was down below opposite of the cargo bay. One side of the room held work out machines of all types, bolted to the floor of course. Mats wove under and around the machines. There were also uneven bars, a balance beam, and a trampoline. Those were her additions. The other side of the room held only mats for sparring and some practice dummies on one side. She noticed Garrus hard at work with one of the dummies. He was in a tan suit with some blue trim. She assumed it was a turian version of a workout suit.

She put down her towel and water and began stretching, covertly watching him workout. She'd never seen a turian workout before. It was uniquely interesting.

Garrus felt her walk in and did his best to pretend he didn't. He finally came to stop when he realized he was getting a little too rough with the practice dummy. He turned to face her. Spirits! She was wearing his colors. He didn't like how his heart quickened. He didn't like how that made him feel inside. But, damn, she looked good.

Shepard was atop the beam; she bent at the waste and placed her hands on the beam. She slowly lifted one leg off the beam and into the air, the other joined it and for a brief moment she was suspended upside down, then her back began to slowly bend until first one leg than then other made contact with the beam. It was extraordinary to watch. No turian could move like that. And spirits did she look sexy doing it. She pulled herself upright and then lowered herself into a splits position.

Shepard felt eyes on her; she turned her head and saw Garrus watching her. She placed her hands flat on the beam, pushed off, rotated her body until she was straddling the beam and lowered herself back down facing him. She winced a bit; she'd never been comfortable sitting on the beam this way. She can't imagine what it would feel like for a guy, she'd probably be singing soprano the rest of her life. "Can you toss me my towel?" she asked him, pointing out where she'd put it. He tossed it to her; she wrapped it around her neck and patted her face. She stood up, walked to the end of the beam, tossed her towel at him and did a back flip off landing in front of him.

"Now, that was impressive, Shepard," he said, wrapping the towel around her neck. His hands stayed there for just a moment before falling away. Her suit left little to the imagination and he had a fairly good imagination. She was wreaking havoc on his senses. He took a step back and cleared his throat. He headed to his water to take a sip. He needed an excuse to put some distance between them.

"Not any more impressive that what I saw you do to the dummy," she pointed out. "Do you want to dance?" she asked him.

Garrus choked on his water and nearly sprayed it everywhere. "Turians don't dance, Shepard."

She blinked for a moment confused. Then she realized he'd taken her literally. She smiled and then laughed. "Perhaps, we ought to test that theory one of these days. But that wasn't what I meant. I meant do you want to go a few rounds? Spar? Teach me how you fight. I enjoyed watching you and would like for you to show me your moves."

Garrus picked his jaw up off the floor and proceeded to hit himself with it. Why did his mind always fall in the gutter when she was around? He was half tempted to take the stick out of his ass, and beat himself over the head with that as well. He needed to stop seeing her as a woman. She was not a woman. Well, she was. But she was his COMMANDER. Get a grip Garrus. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He was sure it would be a mistake getting that close to her, but he didn't feel he had a good enough reason to turn her down…at least not one he cared to share with her.

They squared off on the mat. He explained a few moves and showed her how they were done. Several times he had to grit his teeth and position her arms and legs to get the precise movement he was looking for. His fingers sank into her muscles. It was so intimate that he had to bite back a groan that would have embarrassed them both. He also had to make sure their hips didn't come into contact, because there would be no hiding what she did to him.

Shepard found herself purposely missing movements just to feel his hands on her body. She and Nihlus really hadn't gotten this far, so the feel of his two fingers and thumb were a unique and strangely satisfying experience.

Once he was sure she knew the particular moves he wanted her to know, they pulled on microfoam guards and began to put the moves into practice. After a few rounds he had to admit he was impressed. She caught on fast and was keeping him on his guard. He spotted a flaw in her movement, stepped in and tossed her onto the mat. She snaked her foot around his and pulled up. He ended up falling on top of her. He landed on his forearms. His face a few inches from hers. They were both breathing hard from their exertions.

She placed her hands against his carapace and laughed. "I'm not big on losing, so I wasn't about to go down without taking you with me."

They both realized he was between her legs at the same time. They froze, barely even daring to breath. Thankfully, he was too far down for her to feel how very much he wanted her.

Kaidan walked into the fitness room, his mouth opened, unable to believe what he was seeing. Garrus moved over her leg and rolled over onto his back, his carapace held him up just enough that his head was only angled down a bit. He was ever so grateful his shirt came down low enough to hide his embarrassment. "I've discovered the hard way that Shepard doesn't like to lose," Garrus explained. "Take her down and she will make sure you go down with her."

Kaidan laughed relieved. "Yes, I learned that lesson the hard way too."

"Laugh it up guys. I'm hitting the shower." And she beat a hasty, albeit cowardly retreat.

For the next couple of weeks they did odd missions for the Alliance, she even took down a few Cerberus and geth bases. She also ended up taking down the two criminal warlords Helena Blake had told her about. She even strong armed the woman into getting out of the business. Here's to good deeds well done.

She had pretty much laid down a schedule. She went to the fitness room the same time every day, unless a mission made her put it off. As the days went by more often than not Garrus was there either before she arrived or shortly thereafter. She liked to think he enjoyed her company, but it was more realistic that he just preferred not to work out alone. When she started putting him on the mats as often as he put her there, he would teach her new moves.

She'd eat dinner in the mess with her crew; she enjoyed getting to know them better. Closer to bed time she would head down to the starboard lounge to watch a vid or read a book and have a few drinks. Occasionally, one or more of the crew would join her. And once in awhile they would all cram in there, drink until dawn and suffer the next morning. All but her, that is. She never suffered from hangovers. She healed too quickly for that. And she rubbed the crews' faces in it every chance she got. Poor sots.

This night Garrus and Kaidan were with her. The vid was over much sooner than expected. They both bid her farewell and took off. She sighed…the night was far too young still. She headed out of the starboard lounge and nearly ran smack into Garrus. "I'm so glad you're here. Tell me you're not tired yet!" she implored him.

"Uh…no, Shepard. I'm er – not tired yet. Did…hmm…did you have something in mind?" he asked uncertain.

"I sure did!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the elevator.

By the time they reached her cabin Garrus was all but sweating. She pulled him into her cabin and the door closed behind them. His nerves were shot. He was about to hightail it and run, he knew he was. Then he saw Shepard go down on her hands and knees, her ass up in the air swaying back and forth as she was going through something at the bottom of her closet. He was mesmerized. He stilled himself when he realized his body had been swaying in time to her movements. He was looking longingly at the door when she shot back up.

"Vid or book?" she asked.

The relief nearly dropped him. He'd been fighting the need to pull her into his arms and he knew it wouldn't take much encouragement from her for things to go that route. And that is not a path that needed to be walked.

The vid was a newer action flick, the Traveling Man. The book was Journey to the Center of the Earth. He fingered the leather bound book. Paper books were hard to come by and very expensive. "I haven't seen too many paper books."

"I've got shelves of them. I like the feel of the paper in my hands. I'm a very tactile person. I like to touch," she said with a shrug.

Yeah, she did and that was part of the problem. He chose the book. She grabbed a bottle turian brandy, a bottle of asari honeymead and a couple of glasses. She pointed to the sofa for him to sit, set the bottles and glasses on the table and asked him to pour. She sat down next to him and crossed her legs. He had one arm on the sofa's arm holding his drink, the other he draped along the back of the sofa.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd have turian brandy in your private quarters. Most humans can't drink it." he said curiously.

Shepard flushed. She couldn't tell him she got it in hopes that he'd be there someday, but she could give him a half-truth. "Tali was here the other night watching vids with me. But no turian brandy doesn't bother my system." She grabbed his glass and took a swig before giving it back to him.

She settled in and began reading. He watched her read, her voice soothing him. He asked questions every now and again and told her how he'd have done a thing if it were him. She liked the interaction. It made the book come to life. She liked debating points with him. After an hour or so she leaned against his side and curled her legs up on the sofa to get more comfortable. Another half hour and his arm settled around her shoulders. She smiled, snuggled into him and kept reading. Her voice eventually started to go. She wasn't used to using her voice this much. She asked him if he wanted to call it a night or if he would like to read for a little bit. She had thought he would leave, but he opted to read.

Garrus had been shocked when she first settled against him. But she did it so nonchalantly that it didn't make him feel uncomfortable in the slightest. In fact, he liked her snuggled up against him. He liked it too damn much. Eventually, he worked up the nerve to put his arm around her. It was a more comfortable position for his arm, he assured himself.

After about an hour of him reading Shepard gave a slight yawn and wiggled down, putting her head in his lap and her hand on his thigh. He very nearly jumped out of his skin. He'd never had someone lay on him like that. The heat of her hand, her cheek burned into him. He prayed she did not move her head too much or they both could wind up seriously embarrassed. He lowered his hand to her shoulder absently rubbing it as he read. Eventually, he heard a soft snore and he couldn't help but smile. He slowly slipped out from under her, marked the page in the book, put up the bottles and glasses, pulled down her covers, then bent over and picked her up. Whoa. He had a bit too much to drink. He walked them carefully over to her bed and laid her gently on it. He pulled up the covers and swayed. He lay down next to her. I'll go in just a few, he thought.

He felt something move against him and he came awake. His brain was still foggy. He'd been dreaming about Shepard being in his arms, his hand upon her breast, her grinding against his hardness. As soon as the sleep cleared from his head he realized it had not been a dream at all. His hand cupped something soft; the heat of her ass was pressed against him. His other arm was under her neck. And he was under the covers with her. How the hell did he get there? He fell asleep on top of the covers. He lowered his hand to her waist and gave her a light shake. "Shepard, I need to go. Everyone will be waking up soon and…hmmm… I'd just as soon not do the dreaded walk of shame."

"You would be ashamed of us?" she mumbled.

Us? In what life could he ever be lucky enough for there to be an _us_? "No, that's not what I meant. You're the Commander. I wouldn't want the crew to get the – er, wrong idea about us. I wouldn't, uh…want them to think anything _happened_."

"Something did happen." Her mumbling was almost incoherent.

Yes, he thought. It did. I fell in love with you, Commander Shepard, over a book and a glass of brandy…and I can never tell you. Truth be told, he probably fell in love with her in the Council Chambers when he first saw her, but this was the first time he openly admitted it to himself. "Perhaps, but not the _something_ they would imagine."

She rolled towards him further trapping his arm. She placed her hand on the side of his face. "Thank you, Garrus. I had a wonderful evening. If it wasn't too boring for you, perhaps we can do it again sometime."

He lowered his forehead to hers. "I'd like that," he said thickly, before pulling away. She lowered her hand and lifted her head so he could move. He felt a sense of loss when he was no longer touching her. As he stood up beside the bed he looked back down at her; she was already fast asleep. He couldn't stop himself from smiling. Things were different between them now, even if she didn't know it.

Thus began their evening ritual. She still had her evening vid, card game, or party, depending on how many showed up and the mood they were in, but he would always show up at her cabin a half hour after the evening events came to an end. He was now comfortable enough to just walk in when he arrived instead of comming first. The only things that concerned him were Kaidan's and Liara's feelings. He was pretty sure even Tali was a bit in love with Shepard as well, but she was not openly pursuing her like the other two were. He intended to keep an eye on them. If it looked like she was showing too much interest in someone he would come clean with her, but he hoped it wasn't any time too soon. It was easier to pretend she could love him back than to find out for sure she never would. He had never considered himself a coward before, but that woman had the power to break him with a single word; he wasn't eager to face the block.

"We are approaching Feros, Commander. ETA 15 minute," Joker informed her.

"Thank you, Joker. Com the crew and have them meet at the cargo bay in 15."

"Will do, Commander."

When she walked into the cargo bay she closed her eyes and forced the sight. Goodness, Liara's Blue aura with orange swirls was shining bright today. Kaidan's was the next brightest. She turned to Garrus, a slight frown on her face. She wondered what was disturbing him enough to effect his aura so much.

Garrus had been pacing the cargo bay when he got the comm about leaving soon. He didn't quite know what he was going to do. He was starting to worry his love for Shepard had the potential to become an obsession. The need to be with her, to protect her, to claim her was beginning to feel like an itch he couldn't reach. He knew he was starting to act a little frantic on the days he was left behind and the crew was starting to give him worried looks. He wished like hell he could hide it, but it just seemed to be getting worse. The others assembled in a line and he joined them. When he saw Shepard frown at him he knew he didn't make the cut. No! That wasn't going to fly. This was a major mission; he couldn't bear the thought of being left behind. He didn't know how this aura thing really worked. But the only thing he could think to do is to calm his mind and think only of how much he loved her.

Shepard headed over to Garrus to find out what was bothering him. Half way there she staggered backwards and threw her arm in front of her eyes. She could barely make Garrus out through his aura. What the hell was that? She released the sight quickly. There were still white spots dancing in her eyes, playing havoc with her vision. "Garrus, Liara gear up…be ready in 10."

Garrus turned around to his locker, his mandibles flared wide. He did it. He bucked her system. Now, he just had to hope it continued to work.

It was nice that the Normandy could dock on Feros. She was sure to need some light repairs and a break. As they stepped out of the airlock and onto Feros, Shepard took another aura peek. Garrus' was still a kilowatt aura. She'd have to ask him about that when they had more time. She released the sight and walked up to Garrus. She knew she would have to kiss him sooner or later. That she hadn't up until now was rather surprising. "You are my good luck giver today, Garrus. Will you accept my kiss?" she asked trying to keep the voice level.

Garrus opened and closed his mouth. He didn't trust himself to say anything. His voice tended to crack like a pubescent boy whenever he got too nervous. He took in a deep breath and nodded. She placed one hand on the neck of his armor to pull him down. He wasn't sure why he didn't think to bend down for her… probably because he wasn't thinking so well right now. Her other hand went rested on the back of his neck. He felt a gentle pressure against his mouth as her warm, soft lips slid against his. It was an odd sensation, but a pleasant one. Fire shot straight to his groin. Ok, pleasant was perhaps a bit of an understatement. As she withdrew her hand slid down the sensitive skin of his neck, shivers raced through him, his heart thundered in his chest, and his shaft swelled painfully hard…made all the more painful because there wasn't all that much room in the armor down there. The idea of kissing had never really appealed to him before, but he would never look at it the same again.

Shepard looked Garrus in the eyes . "Thank you," she said thickly, barely able to keep herself from pulling him down for another. His mouth had been firm, but flexible. Strange, but exciting. And she wanted to do it again. Many more agains. She sighed and backed up until she was brought to a stop.

Garrus quickly dropped his hands from her waist. He hadn't even been aware that he had placed them there. He took a step back, squared his shoulders and gave her a nod. She smiled and turned to take point. His groin gave a painful jerk. He was hard as stone entirely too often around her. He was seriously considering getting new armor.

A man was on the walkway to greet them. "We saw your ship. Fai Dan wants to meet with you immediately."

"Who's Fai Dan?" Shepard asked.

"He's our…leader. He needs your help to prepare for the geth. They are making another push - " he said.

Take cover!" Garrus yelled. But it was too late for the greeter, who was torn apart by geth bullets. Then, the three geth open fired on them. She released Grim and hit them with an overload chain. As they fell, more moved in. Grim sprayed acid on their optical sensors and her whips sang out removing heads with a flick of her wrists. Liara threw out a singularity. Large crates and geth bodies crashed together. One geth escaped death by crates, but only because he was flung over the balcony to the hard docking bay floor…very far below them.

"They tried to build a life here; but now all they have are ruins," Liara said sadly.

"I can't believe the colony held out as long as they did," Garrus said softly.

They followed the walkway around a corner, Shepard's radar jammed, more geth were nearby. She saw one fly over her head. "Hopper!" she yelled. Damned geth clung to walls like a gecko. Hard as hell to catch. Garrus brought it down before she could even find where it had landed. He gave her a smug look when she glanced over at him. All right. He earned it. She bowed her head in acknowledgment.

Their radar was clear, so they continued down the path to the colony. The colonists would only talk of their fear for the geth, so they continued on. They passed through a prefab unit and out the other side. Finally, someone was willing to talk.

"I'm Fai Dan, I'm so glad they finally decided to send someone to help us."

"It would have been nice had you come sooner," the woman bit out.

"Look, the geth are – They're here!" Fai Dan yelled.

Shepard unsnapped her AR, sent an overload chain at them and slipped around them as her team took down the helpless geth. She took the head off one that had been too far away to be affected by the overload. She continued down the corridor. She wound her way through the corridor and activated three disabled machines that belonged to the same water system. She hoped they weren't deactivated for a good reason. Guess she'd find out later if this was an 'oops' on her part. At the end of the path was a crazy man talking in riddles. He seemed to be fighting something that caused him a great deal of pain, but he didn't appear to want help, so she left him to his own devices. On the way back she crossed over a bridge. Her radar showed there were signatures beyond the wall. The wall slid open and several geth attacked. They were higher up, she shot out a sonic wave that knocked them down, she followed it up with an overload chain and continued on, knowing her team would make short work of them.

"Damn it, Shepard – I hate it when you do that," Garrus told her retreating back.

She came out of the corridor into a larger room. Three massive krogan charged them. She released Grim, tossed a turret and shot out a sonic wave, pinning two against the wall. Grim sprayed acid in their eyes, blinding them. She released the wave. The turret belched fire and bullets and the krogan panicked trying to get away. She pulled her Viper and put a bullet through the eye of one of them, putting him out of his misery. The second dropped an instant later. Garrus had the same idea.

There was a small room off the end of the larger room and she discovered a large transmitter the geth had been using. She fired on it until it was nothing but smoke and ruin. As they exited back through the wall, her radar picked up organic signatures rather than geth. She wanted to speak to them and make sure they were safe before heading back. She crossed back over the bridge and through the wall on the opposite side. Huge dog creatures slavered, growled, and then attacked them. Liara threw out a singularity. Three dogs were sucked into it. Hot dog. Or dead dog, in any case. She sent an overload chain that froze four in a macabre dance. Well placed bullets took them out. She looked around while she was there and pulled out some salvage from an old tank. Always good to have repair parts on hand, never know when you will need them. Time to head back to Fai Dan and see if there was anything she could do to help the colony.

When she reached Fai Dan he said, "The tower's secure. Thanks to you, Commander."

"I'm just glad your colony is safe now," Shepard said.

"Thank you for your efforts against the geth. It is appreciated," Fai Dan said.

"It won't hold them for long though, they always come back," the woman replied.

"Do you know why the geth have attacked your colony?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know why they're here. The geth's main base is at the Exo-Geni headquarters if you want to look for answers. They are the company that funds the colony. The skyway leads directly to their headquarters," Fai Dan told her.

"Is there anything I can do for the colony before we go?" she asked.

Fai Dan gave her the names of a few key people she could talk to if she wanted to help them further.

Shepard discovered the system she reactivated was the colony's main water supply the geth had deactivated. She also found out the dogs, veran, were a main food staple for the colony, but hunting had become more dangerous since a new pack leader had taken over. She informed the man that the alpha veran would no longer be a problem and they might want to retrieve the meat before it spoiled. She also turned over the salvaged part she acquired. They apparently needed the cells, so she was glad she had thought to scavenge them. She had apparently already accomplished the main needs of the colony. So, now it was time to hit the skyway and take the fight to the geth before they could attack the colony again. They hopped the elevator, when the door opened she heard a man yelling. They drew their guns and ran out firing at the geth attacking the guards. When the threat was cleared they climbed into the mako that had been dropped off for them and headed out the main doors. Garrus hopped in back to ride the guns; Liara sat beside her to run the navigation and scanners. She missed having Garrus beside her, but she knew he was having fun kicking ass with the big guns.

Debris and geth hides littered the skyway. Geth were a major problem. Armatures and geth with rocket launchers were everywhere.

They passed through two waves of geth before they picked up local radio chatter.

"They've got us on visual. They must be close," Liara said.

"Forget about them, we need to focus on the geth," Garrus responded.

"Garrus, have a heart. It won't hurt to take a few minutes to peak in on them. We might be able to aid them or they could have important information that would help us out. We won't know until we check," Shepard told him.

The climbed out of the mako and headed down the ramp into an underground encampment. The small group was safe for the moment. There was a nasty little butt-weasel who worked for Exo-Geni that Shepard wished she could put a bullet into. A woman wanted her daughter found and a man wanted her to collect some data off his terminal at Exo-Geni, but otherwise nothing new was discovered. They climbed back into the mako and back onto the skyway.

After a couple of more geth waves they made it to the end of the line. The door wouldn't open far, but she was able to wiggle the mako close enough that cannon could be fired through the door to weed out the geth hiding within. When her radar showed clear, they headed in. A quick walk through only left one way to move forward. They dropped down through an opening to the floor below. There was no going back that way.

As they cleared the rubble, she noticed veran corpses on the ground. They were not alo – a bullet flew between her and Garrus.

"Damn it! Oh – I'm sorry. I thought you were a geth or one of those veran," the woman apologized.

Talk about shoot first and ask questions later…or in her case, shoot first and_ look_ found out she was the missing daughter, Lizbeth, and that she worked for Exo-geni. She had elected to stay behind to download data, but she ended up trapped here. A geth ship latched onto the building and was powering barrier shields to keep people away from the Thorian, a very large, very old, plant-life, which was most likely what the geth were after. She gave Shepard her ID to get her past any locked doors and wished her luck on getting the shields down.

They entered a rear door and heard a krogan yelling at a machine. The machine was nice enough to warn the krogan of their presence and he charged. She hit him with a sonic wave that slammed him into a wall and held him tight. She walked up to him. "You really should control that temper of yours. It can lead to all kinds of …problems for you."

Garrus took him out.

"You know, I was going to ask him if he would surrender."

"And I think we both know what his answer to that would have been," Garrus said matter of fact.

"You are probably right, but it's only sporting to give him the chance," she pointed out.

"I've never met anyone quite like you, Shepard," he admitted.

"And you never will," she said softly.

They were able to get quite a bit of Thorian intel from the VI. Apparently, it controls people through inhalation of its spores and Exo-Geni purposely let it control the Zhu's Hope colony so they could study it. She also learned Lizbeth was aware of all of this, due to her high level clearance. And that was why she became an engineer. She loved science, but hated what the pursuit of it could do to the souls of the people in charge.

They continued past the VI and discovered 2 geth below them distracted with something. She flicked her whips out and relieved them of their heads. Huge geth ship claws were anchored onto the side of the building. They needed to find a way to remove the claws. They followed the corridor around and it opened into a room with several geth…Oh joy…here we go again. She hacked a geth with a rocket launcher and let it do the work for them. Once they were down, she headed left through a red corridor and up a flight of stairs. She followed the corridor until it led to another open room and wouldn't you know…more geth.

When the last one fell they headed up a nearby staircase to the floor above. She moved across the crumbling upper level and looked down at the geth gathered below. She hacked a destroyer. After it took down the other geth she hit it with an overload charge and Garrus shot its head off. At the back of the room was a control for the Shuttle bay door. One of the geth claws just happened to have used that for an anchor point. That would be their best shot to loosen the ship's grip on the building.

She programmed the door's PSI high enough to make it slam down hard. It sheared off the top claw on the geth ship. The bottom two claws could not support its weight alone and the ship dropped off the side of the building and crashed to the surface far below. The energy fields had come down.

"Normandy to shore party, anybody there? Normandy to shore party…come on Commander, please be there." Worry laced Joker's every word. When she answered him she could hear the relief in his voice as he told her that colonists were banging on the hull. She told him to sit tight; the colonists couldn't do any real damage to the Normandy.

They retraced their steps and bypassed the newly opened passage to head up the other side of the stairwell. She needed to retrieve some data for one of the colonists. Several krogan were in the room she needed to get into. She sighed…she'd already killed more than enough today; she was starting to get mighty sick of it. Oh well…another one bites the dust.

With the three krogan out of the picture she uploaded the data and hightailed it back to the newly opened passage.

Lizbeth was waiting for them on the other side of the passageway. She confronted Lizbeth on her lies. The young woman apologized and told them the way to the Thorian was blocked by a freighter the Zhu's Hope colonists put down to cover the entrance to protect it.

Once back at the Exo-Geni group they discussed the infected colonists and how best to manage them so they could get past them. She joined with the Exo-geni scientists, bounced ideas, compared theories and finally helped them formulate nerve gas infused reduced-capacity concussion grenades. She took the grenades and headed to Zhu's Hope. Hopefully, a majority of the colonists could be rendered harmless, allowing them to get access to the Thorian.

Garrus couldn't stop his mandibles from flaring. This was a side of Shepard most never saw. They saw the soldier, the Commander, the capable warrior, the diplomat…but the woman at home in a lab? That was rarely seen.

When they reached the main door a nastified human creature, a husk-like thorian creeper, was waiting for them. When the door opened many more attacked them. You had to take them down before they got to close to you, because their preferred method of attack was barfing green goo in your face. Not a very becoming look. And it didn't feel too great, burned like acid. After they were down they hopped back into the mako and drove it up next to the guards. They climbed out, using the mako for cover; she tossed a sleep grenade at the four humans shooting at them.

The proceeded through the door. She tossed a grenade at the two humans guarding the interior entrance. Heading down the stairs she faced another wave of creepers and more humans. She tossed another sleep grenade, but only 3 went down. Crap...she tossed a second one. Her lootdar went off and she located another stash of grenades…how strangely convenient, considering they had made her batch at the Exo-Geni group. Oh well, best not to look a gift horse in the mouth, it might bite you. She headed up the ramp took out more creepers and lobbed a sleep grenade at the two humans at the end of the ramp.

Heading down the other side of the ramp a crap load of creepers were waiting. No biotics were used, they couldn't risk the colonists. She grabbed her bats she charged one cryo and one incinerate. She started whipping them at the creepers, causing one after the other to explode. Her team waited for them to get close and shot them point blank, that way they could avoid stray bullets taking out the colonists. It took 3-4 more grenades to put the rest of the colonists to sleep.

She hacked into the control and programmed it to lift the freighter out of the way. Fai Dan approached them. He fought the Thorian's control, but in the end he just wasn't strong enough. He chose to end his own life rather than shoot them. It had all happened so fast. Even so, she knew she had time to lob a sleep grenade at him or rip his gun away…why hadn't she? As far as she was aware her head was still on her shoulders and not shoved up her ass. She sighed. It was such a waste of life. They headed down the stairs into the Thorian's lair.

A massive, tentacled, slimy plant…_thing_ barfed up a green asari. "I speak for the old growth, as I did for Saren. You are within and before the Thorian. It demands that you be in awe."

Shepard shook her head. She never much cared for demands. As a soldier she had to swallow a crap-load of them, and they stuck in her craw more often than not. "I'm afraid that's just not going to happen. I'm here to broker a deal. Release your thralls or die. Simple enough for you?" Shepard asked.

The green asari attacked. As soon as she was down, creepers poured out of a side room. Had she mentioned how tired she was of killing? She thought she could feel a blister on her damn trigger finger. She fired an overload chain and walked past the twitching creepers. A huge pulsing tentacle crossed above her head. She pulled out her gun and blasted a hole in the damn thing. The Thorian screamed. Ooh…sweet. I need to find more of those. They headed further up searching for more nerve bundles.

Two more waves of creepers and a green asari later she was able to destroy another nerve bundle. They continued up the stairs. Another two waves of creepers and another green asari later and they located another nerve bundle. This was starting to be like clockwork…but she knew better than to rely on patterns. Patterns, like rules, could be broken too easily.

In a similar pattern they took down two more nerve bundles. Then dropped down to a lower floor and then up a flight of stairs. Prone creepers they had already passed, popped up behind them, flanking them, and came down from the stairs above... catching them in a pincer ambush. Nicely done, Thorian. Still won't save you though.

As they came around a bend, Shepard could see another nerve bundle across the way. She pulled out her sniper and blew it to hell. The creepers didn't even waken from their prone positions. The Thorian grunted, screamed and fell a great distance to the floor below. She sincerely hope it was nothing but a pile of splattered goo now.

An asari fell from a pustule on the wall. "I'm free…I suppose I should thank you for releasing me," Shiala said. She told them that Saren had traded her for the cipher to the Thorian and then sent geth in to kill the Thorian. She spoke of how Matriarch Benezia sought to help Saren walk a gentler path, but had become indoctrinated to Saren's will through the ship he call Sovereign, who had powerful mind control capabilities. She explained that Prothians and their knowledge became a part of the Thorian when it consumed their bodies over 50,000 years ago.

"I need that knowledge to stop Saren," Shepard told her.

"I can transfer the cipher to your mind as I did Saren's." Shiala informed her.

Shepard nodded. As she was receiving the cipher, her head thumped as more pictures poured into it... death destruction, machines, blood…but it included more than the previous vision. She saw two suns and a couple of planets. A possible location or map of sorts? She shook her head. It was a lot to take in and things still weren't all that clear.

"Shepard, are you all right?" Garrus touched her shoulder in worry. "What just happened?"

She put her hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "The cipher seems to have updated what I saw from the beacon. I'm still not completely sure what it's telling me...it's like a partially completed puzzle. Gave me one hell of a headache though."

Shiala told her it would take time for her mind to process the information, but she would eventually understand the vision from the beacon. She also said she would like to stay here and help the people from Zhu's hope recover.

Shepard nodded her approval and headed back to the colonists.

"Exo-Geni will be giving Zhu's Hope all the money it needs to rebuild. It's all thanks to you Commander!" Juliana, Lizbeth's mother, said. She checked on the other people she had met and then returned to the Normandy. "Hit the showers, debriefing in 20," she told them.

When she walked into the comm room, everyone was already seated, waiting for her.

"Commander, you look pale. Have you suffered any ill effects from the cipher?" Liara asked concerned.

"I'm fine. I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything."

"I might be able to help. I'm a Prothean expert. If I joined my consciousness to yours we might be able to make sense of it all," Liara said helpfully…or perhaps hopefully.

When the melding came to an end, Liara explained, "The beacon on Eden Prime must have been badly damaged. The data transferred to the Commander's mind was incomplete. There are large pieces missing from the vision. If Saren has that missing information, then he might have found another beacon." Liara started feeling weak from the meld and asked to go to the med-bay. Shepard dismissed everyone and made her rounds.

Kaidan told her she was important to him and wanted her to know that he would be there for her if she ever needed any help. He then returned to talking about his past, explaining how turian mercs were brought in to train the young human biotics. The one training his group, Vyrnnus, was a nasty piece of work. The turian broke Rhanna's arm because she used her hand to move something instead of her biotics; When Kaidan stood up, the turian beat him and shoved a knife in his face. Kaidan lost it and the turian ended up dead. He ended up losing Rhanna as a friend and Brain camp was closed down not long after. Just goes to show, that good or ill, one person _can_ make a difference.

Liara was feeling much better and they scheduled a vid for later that evening. Shepard asked her about her life as an archeologist.

"I spent most of my life on remote digs; unearthing mundane items buried in long-forgotten Prothean ruins. Not very exciting to most people."

"It sounds dangerous…and lonely," Shepard admitted.

"Sometimes I would run afoul of indigenous life-forms or mercenaries, but I was always careful. Until the geth on Artemis Tau, my biotics kept me safe. As for the solitude, it appealed to me. People expected me to be as my mother was, become a leader of our people. Matriarchs look to the future, maybe that's why I preferred the secrets of the past," Liara explained.

"All children rebel against their parents. It's a natural part of growing up," Shepard stated.

Liara chuckled, "You share the wisdom of the Matriarchs, Shepard. That is exactly what Benezia said when I told her I was going to be an archeologist. But there's more to it…I was drawn to the past…to the Protheans. That is why I find you so fascinating. You were touched by working Prothean technology," she said in wonder.

"Am I a lab rat now?" Shepard asked gently.

"What? No! I never meant to offend you, Shepard. I only meant that you would be an interesting specimen for in-depth study. No – that's even worse!" Liara said, horrified where her mouth was taking her.

"It's okay, Liara. I was only joking," Shepard assured her.

"Joking? Oh, by the Goddess! How could I be so dense? You must think me the fool. This is why I prefer to spend my time with data and dig sites; I tend to embarrass myself around other people," she said apologetically.

She went down to the cargo bay to visit with the rest of her crew. Garrus told her that he has learned a lot from her both from speaking with her and watching how she operated. He told her he couldn't imagine a better teacher…or a better friend.

Oh stars…the friend zone. Maybe she should tell him how she felt? "Garrus, you are more than just a friend to me…" Oh dear…no...she can't do this. He had become too precious to her and she wasn't about to risk what they had. "You are my dearest…my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you." She took his hand, gave it a squeeze and turned to go see Wrex. At least she was able to weave some of what she felt into that.

Damn it, Garrus thought. He had hoped she was going to tell him she wanted to be more than friends…maybe even that she loved him…not relegate him to the friend zone. That's ok. He tried to reassure himself. Maybe that's what she needs right now. He knew how much pressure she was under. If that's what she needed from him, then he would do his best to give it to her.

She asked Wrex to tell her an adventure story. So, he told her about an asari commando he met when they both held the same contract. They split the kill, each taking part of the man, each getting paid for his death. Unfortunately, he discovered one contract he accepted was for the asari's death. When he caught up with her, they shared a laugh over it and then he asked her where she wanted the fight to occur. She chose a merc hangout and they battled for two days. She was injured and he was about to go in for the kill when the space station's core went critical. He barely made it out. He watched it blow from a distance and never saw her leave. When he later received notice she was alive, he notified the diplomat that set the contract and ended up being his personal bodyguard until the day he died. Boring, but easy credits. She laughed at his caginess and moved on to have a word with Ashley.

As she was talking to Ashley she was able to learn more about her. Her grandfather was General Williams, the Shanxi garrison's leader, the only human to surrender to the turians during the First Contact war. That was why her father couldn't advance up the chain of command and that was why she had a long list of crap assignments. Shepard told her that she respected the man. He saved a lot of lives, both military and civilian by surrendering. She also tried to reassure her that she was a valuable member of her team.

Tali thanked her for treating her like a part of the crew, an equal, rather than a second-class citizen. Not many treat quarians that fairly. She appreciated Shepard's thoughtfulness. Shepard assured Tali that she was a highly respected member of her team and that she would miss her when she returned back to the flotilla.

As the days went by they were sent on more grunt missions for the alliance. At least the Alliance was asking rather than demanding her help. That was a nice change. She deactivated a bomb, killed a negotiation with a merc, retrieved data from a lost probe, killed a diplomat's blackmailing, criminal sister and various other assignments. But, they were simple missions, left her with a lot of down time in between. Mass relay travel and FTL speed were nice, but not instantaneous, at least not in most cases.

Garrus also came to realize his _beating her system_ trick didn't always beat the system. Perhaps because his need to protect her and claim her was getting stronger. Or perhaps he wasn't the only one who figured out the system.

They were on their way back to the Citadel for gas and supplies, and then off to Noveria. When she stepped up to the galaxy map to set in coordinates for the Citadel, Joker informed her she had a top priority message coming in. She headed to the comm room to take the private call.

The Council informed her they had a special task force that sent a message on a critical alert channel, but the message was garbled. It haled from the planet Virmire and pertained to Saren. The assured her they didn't want to know the details of what she intended to do, they just wanted to inform her of the Virmire option. She thanked them and headed back to the map. She would be sure to hit Virmire as soon as they left Noveria. After this she was damn well going to take a vacation. At least she sure as hell hoped she could. She and her crew needed a break. A couple of weeks of shore leave would do everyone a lot of good.

Chapter 7

Noveria

Commander, we are approaching Noveria. ETA 27 minutes," Joker informed her.

"Thank you Joker, have the crew assemble in the cargo bay in 15. Out of curiosity, do you ever sleep?"

"Absolutely, Commander. I just had the back-up alert me when we were an hour out. Don't you worry, Commander. I get my required sleep. I wouldn't fly too tired…I wouldn't risk the Normandy," Joker assured her.

"Thanks, Jeff, I feel the love," she said sarcastically.

"You know she's my baby, Shepard."

"Of that there is no doubt."

She rolled over in her bed and slammed her head on something hard. Damn! What the hell. "Lights on," she said rubbing her forehead. The lights slowly got brighter, when she could see she discovered she was nose to nose with Garrus. Garrus groaned and covered eyes. "What's the matter? Hung over, big guy?" She asked in a chipper voice.

"Leave me alone," he grumbled.

"No can do. ETA 25 minutes out of Noveria."

His eyes popped open. "What?" he said sitting up. He grabbed his head and fell back into the bed. Ohh…never again would he drink that much. He glared resentfully at Shepard's enthusiasm. "I thought we were hitting it tomorrow," he groused.

"Change of plans. We arrived earlier than expected."

He rubbed a hand over his face. "What time is it?"

"8:30am, sleepy head," she said full of cheer.

He jerked to a sitting position again. He grabbed his head, cried out, but stayed sitting up. Oh crap! He'd never make it out of Shepard's room without being seen now. Kaidan practically camped right outside her door.

Shepard walked over to her closet, pulled out a suit and handed it to him.

"I wondered where that went!" he said in wonder.

"I swiped it out of laundry before they had the chance to put it in your closet. Figured there could be a day like this." Of course, she'd hoped it would have been after a long night of loving instead of a hard night of drinking.

"Spirits! You think of everything!" he said gratefully. "I'll make sure to get another one over here just in case we mess up again." He stumbled off to the bathroom to get showered and changed.

She heard the water running and wished like mad she could join him. She heard the speed dry flip on and grabbed a clean bodysuit. He was out in 5 minutes flat bless him. He walked over to her, put his forehead against hers. "Thank you, Shepard," he said simply and headed for the door. When the door opened, he turned to her and said loudly, "Thank you again for your help this morning, Commander."

"Anytime, Garrus. I'm just glad I could help you out of that bind," she said with a big smile.

He stood there a moment and just looked at her. Then he cleared his throat, shook his head, and took his leave. He nodded and said good morning to Kaidan on his way to the elevator.

She hopped in the shower, for a quick wash, hit the speed dry and was out the door in another 5. She grabbed three nutrient bars and crammed them in her face on the way down to the cargo bay. When she arrived at the cargo bay she could already hear the vestiges of last night's party. She walked into the middle of the room and said, "Good morning, everyone!" Groans greeted her and she laughed.

Kaidan approached her. "A moment, Ma'am...you have something…hold on." He took a thumb and gently grazed the side of her mouth, removing a wayward crumb. He brought the offending crumb to his lips, his tongue flicking out to capture it. "Nutrient bars, eh? Maybe tomorrow we can get a real breakfast…" he said softly.

Garrus took a step forward, fists tight, as anger ripped through him. When he realized what he was about to do, he drew up and closed his eyes. He needed to get control of himself before he did something he would regret. He gritted his teeth when he heard Shepard thank Kaidan and tell him that would be nice. Couldn't she see what Kaidan was doing? No, he sighed…she couldn't. As accomplished as she was in everything she did, and despite her IQ, when it came to affairs of the heart she was blind.

Shepard didn't even need the sight to know who would be joining her today. But she forced it anyway and she had been correct. Only two people didn't get drunk off their asses last night. "Tali, Kaidan gear up and be ready in 10. Everyone dismissed"

Garrus walked up to her. "Shepard…" he said urgently.

"Garrus, you are in no condition to be going down there with me right now. Don't even try to talk me out of it," she said firmly.

He knew she was right, but it rankled him to no end that she was going down there without him. On a highly critical mission at that. He knew that Kaidan loved her and would do what he could to protect her…but he also knew that no one could protect her the way he could. "I know, Shepard," he said softly. "Just be careful," he said, lowering his forehead to hers for a brief moment.

"I will…and for the record I wish you were coming. There is no one I trust more to cover me than you," she said with a smile. Shepard donned her commander mask and left.

Double whammy, he sighed. Mind in the gutter and a breathtaking smile…he was hard as stone. As soon as the VI told them that XO Pressly had the deck he began to pace. When Wrex started laughing at him he headed to the elevator… he had to search out someone to vent on, his nerves were shot... and Wrex was only a last resort. It seemed like it was getting harder and harder to find anyone about. It was crazy…a ship full of people and he was lucky to find someone. Where the hell did they all go?

In the airlock she checked the auras of her squadmates. "Kaidan, will you accept my good luck kiss?"

Kaidan flushed. "Always...ma'am."

Shepard placed one hand on the back of his neck, the other on his cheek and gently brushed her lips against his. "Thank you for your luck, Kaidan."

When they arrived at Noveria's port entry, guards attempted to confiscate her weapons. Not going to happen. As a Spectre she was legally allowed to bring her weapons anywhere. Before the scene could turn too ugly, the administrator's assistant verified Shepard's Spectre status and thus her right to bear arms.

She went up the stairs to speak to the woman who cleared them. As she approached the counter alarms went off.

"Weapon detector alarms, nothing to worry about. I am Gianna Parasini, assistant to Administrator Anoleis. We apologize for the incident at the docking bay."

"Thank you for your support. Has anyone unusual come through here recently?" Shepard asked.

"An asari matriarch, Lady Benezia, and a group of commandos passed through here a few days ago," Parasini told her.

"Where is she now?" Shepard inquired.

"She went up to Peak 15 research complex. As far as I know she's still there."

"Then that is where I need to go."

"You will have to get approval from Administrator Anoleis to leave this port. His office is on the left of the main floor."

Mr. Anoleis was a cold, abrupt and rude salarian. He had no liking for Spectres and gave her only the barest courtesy. He basically told her she was shit out of luck. Peak 15 was private and a blizzard had shut down access in any event.

She was getting nowhere fast or slow with him so she left his office. Parasini waved her down and told her to talk to Lorik Qui'in if she wanted a pass to leave the port. Thank you, Parasini. At least someone in this bloody port was pleasant. She headed to the elevator and the hotel bar to find Qui'in.

Shepard liked Qui'in right away. He was one of the nicest and most polite people she'd ever met. He explained how he was the manager of Synthetic Insights and he had found information on Anoleis accepting bribes and other nefarious deeds…now Anoleis claimed Qui'in was corrupt and had his office closed while hired goons ransacked it trying to locate the information Qui'in had found. He told her she was welcome to his garage pass if she could bring him that information. She agreed, took his security pass, and hopped the elevator down to the main floor.

As soon as she entered the Synthetic Insights offices she ran into three of the hired goons. A little muscle flexing and the goons decided they might be better off if they took a walk. As soon as they stepped away several others attacked. When they were taken care of she searched the office downstairs. Nothing. She headed up the stairs. The office far to the back had the information Qui'in wanted.

They headed back around to the stairs and were confronted by another group of Anoleis' thugs. Just how many did he hire? They seem to multiply faster than dust-bunnies…and that's saying something. She grabbed her bats and smiled. Guns were flying out of enemy hands in record time. In the time it took them to pull their back up weapons, her team was taking them down. Her hand shot up, a sonic wave plastered the leader to the wall. When the last of the leader's squad fell, Shepard released the woman and asked her if she wanted to surrender.

The leader yelled, "Eat this bitch!"And pulled her shotgun. Shepard sighed and shook her head. Kaidan took her down. Did these idiots all go to the same school? Did no one ever think things through? It always ended the same way…but she kept hoping that someday someone would grow a brain.

Parasini was waiting for her when she stepped off the elevator. She asked her to meet her at the hotel bar before she talked to Qui'in. Then she turned and walked away. Shepard sighed…just another fly in the lotion…according to Qui'in.

She entered the hotel bar and found the fly right away.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself...Gianna Parasini, Noveria Internal Affairs."

"Why is internal affairs here?"

"The executives know of Anoleis' corruption. I've been under cover for six months. I would like you to convince Qui'in to testify before the board. With his evidence this planet can run profitably again." Parasisni stated.

Shepard agreed to talk to Qui'in.

"Always a pleasure, Spectre. Any news on that matter I had you look into?" Qui'in inquired politely.

Stars. She was really starting to feel like a heel. She really liked the old turian.

"An internal affairs officer contacted me. She wants you to testify against Anoleis so they can bring him down," Shepard told him.

"Now that you have my property, you want to dictate how I use it? I have no interest in a public spectacle," he said in irritation.

Ouch. "Everyone on this station is chafing under Anoleis' extortion. You would be a hero," she pointed out.

"My employers rely on the goodwill of the Executive Board to work here."

"The Board is investigating Anoleis. They know he is corrupt. They are concerned about the worm in their own fruit," Tali informed him.

Qui'in sighed. "All right! It is obvious that I cannot dissuade you. Very well. I will testify. Make whatever arrangements you need with your contact. I will wait here."

"I should let you go," she said.

"Let me go? Do humans consider conversing to be some sort of imprisonment? No wonder so few are willing to sit and talk."

Shepard gave him a bright smile to try to take the sting out of what she just did to him. She felt like she had just kicked a puppy. It wasn't a good feeling. Despite knowing that taking down Anoleis was for the best, it left a foul taste in her mouth.

Kaidan and Tali looked at each other when they saw the old turian's face go slack. Smile shock. It will bite you in the butt every time. And the look on the shockee's face was always priceless. It's much more fun when someone else gets nuked with her 40 kiloton smile; they'd learned to stay out of blast radius if at all possible, because fallout tended to be embarrassing. They took the elevator back down to the main floor. As they entered Anoleis' office, Parasini greeted her.

"Spectre. Have you given any more consideration to my offer?" Parasini asked.

"It took some persuasion, but Qui'in has agreed to testify."

Parasini sighed. "That's a world of stress off my back. I'll take the evidence for safe transport. Hmf…I didn't think you'd help me. Being a Spectre and all. I guess some of you can be all right."

"You don't seem particularly thrilled," Shepard said with a frown.

"I'm ecstatic. But right now, I just feel like a long day of work is ending. While you were working on Qui'in, I got you a garage pass. Be careful up there," Parasini warned. "Now, I have an arrest to make. Wish I had time to change into something easy to move in. I hate skirts."

"This is an outrage! I'll see that you never work in this sector again!" Anoleis yelled.

"Yeah, yeah. Get a move on," Parasini said dragging the hand-cuffed salarian away.

"You! Shepard! I demand that you place this bitch under arrest!" Anoleis ordered.

"You have the right to remain silent. I wish to God you'd exercise it!" Parasini implored him. "See you around the galaxy, Commander. I owe you a beer."

Shepard watched them leave and then followed them out. She ran back up to the hotel to check on Qui'in again. Why? Because she wanted to. She really liked him and felt awful for pushing him to do something he didn't want to do.

"Ms. Parasini contacted me as she lifted off-world. The Board is placing me in protective custody. I expect I'll be testifying in the next few days," Qui'in said resolutely.

"I really wish you all the best, Qui'in. For what it's worth, I'm sorry I put you in the situation you are in. It is for the best, but it doesn't mean I don't feel bad about it," Shepard admitted.

"I know you were only doing your job, Commander. I don't hold that against you. Maybe once Anoleis is put away and this is all behind me, I'll feel like I accomplished something worthwhile. Stay safe out there, Commander," Qui'in said earnestly.

She bid him farewell and went back down to the main floor and over to the garage. She showed her pass to get in. As soon as the doors closed behind them geth opened fire.

"I guess we know what Benezia had in those crates now," Kaidan said.

When the geth were cleared out, they climbed into the mako class tank and headed out into the blizzard. There were a few geth pockets stationed here and there, most of them centered around tunnels, but there were turrets lining the path. They kept their speed steady and relatively slow. With the narrow paths, snow and ice, the terrain could be treacherous.

When they reached Peak 15 they were surprised to see a burning tank. Apparently, someone had recently arrived and had not been as lucky as they were.

They climbed out of the mako, entered the building, up a small flight of stairs on the right and into a large loading bay hangar. Geth, of course, were waiting there to greet them. Nothing like the welcome wagon. Surprise! There were even a few krogan who joined the fray. Shepard Released Grim, a combat drone, and tossed out a turret. She hacked a destroyer and Tali hacked a geth with a rocket launcher. Tali shot Chatika to the balcony above, on the left, to nab a krogan that was taking pot shots at them. Both Shepard's OTs were humming, shooting out cryo and incineration blasts.

Grim shot to her side. "All contacts eliminated."

"Stick with us, Grim. I'm sure the fun is far from over."

"User alert. All Peak 15 facilities have suffered a great deal of damage," said an automated feminine voice. Biohazard materials present through facility. Virtual Intelligence user interface offline."

"We need to get the reactors back online," Tali informed her.

Shepard knew Tali was just trying to be helpful, but it rankled a bit that everyone seemed to think that she couldn't figure things out for herself. She didn't think she looked stupid, but at times she wanted to look into a mirror and double check.

She headed up the stairs on the left to the walkway. She followed it around to a door. At least they were getting somewhere…It was the blind leading the blind right now, since no one had any clue where they had to go.

They entered the door and discovered two turrets facing the wrong way. Guess they didn't want their own people leaving.

"Why are the turrets facing the wrong way?" Tali asked.

"They want to keep their people in more than they want to keep others out apparently," Kaidan responded.

When the door at the end of the hall slid open her lootdar went off and she turned to the left to pillage for supplies. With pockets getting full, she retreated back to the other door she bypassed earlier. It was an elevator. Must be our ride. It was a slow ride up. When the door opened the hall was covered in snow and ice. Odd, since they were indoors. As they moved through the next door it opened up into a very large room that had geth sprinkled across the snow like multi-colored candy. Stars…her mind traveled to some weird places when she was hungry.

She raised her hand up and sent a sonic wave that sent three of them crashing against the wall. She set off an overload chain to the right and let her team deal with the twitching, frozen geth. She looked at the disarray of the room. The disarray she caused. If it looks like a tornado hit, Shepard must have passed through. Destruction…thy name is Shepard. Ah…if you can't poke fun at yourself…don't let anyone else…

A loud chittering screech broke into her musings. What the hell was that?

"Animals? Wind? This place is in bad shape." Tali looked around nervously.

A swarm of cat sized roaches charged them. Thankfully, they were easy to kill...if you could catch them, that is. But they weren't shy. They raced straight for you and exploded on their own when they got close enough. Shepard looked around, and then she looked up when she heard a noise. She saw a large, butt ugly tentacled bug thing on the upper walkway. She shot a sonic blast over the glass half-wall and the thing rose up into the air. A second joined it. She hadn't even known there were two up there. Kaidan hit them with a lift wave to keep them airborne. Once dancing in the air, they were easy to shoot. Didn't have to get anywhere near them, thank the stars. She didn't like bugs on principle…big ones were even worse.

She headed up the stairs towards where the creatures had been. She wanted to make sure there were no more…Plus, they kind of had to go that way anyway. In the second room up there that she explored, a giant bug thing jumped out of the wall at them as they left the room. She guessed her team wasn't too keen on bugs either, because the nasty thing was no more than a scrap by the time they were done pouring bullets into it.

The hit the door at the end of the walkway and took the elevator up. It opened up to a narrow room…and more little bug things. The bug things were rank. They exploded when they died, spraying green, putrid mist everywhere.

"Look, Shepard. A backup power system. Must be for the station mainframe," Tali told her.

"The damage doesn't look to be extensive. It could be repaired," Kaidan informed them.

Shepard tried to reactivate the backup power system.

"Critical startup error. Virtual Intelligence user interface offline. Manual boot required," the automated voice said.

They proceeded to the end of the hall and made their way around the mainframe core. It opened in the back and she stepped onto the platform. She nearly freaked when it started lowering her down. But she bit her cheek and kept her cool, she did not want the commander mask to crack while she screamed like a girl. Not so good for her image when that happens.

She completed the task needed to manually reboot the core and the platform returned her to the surface. A feminine form VI shimmered into view.

"It looks like you're trying to restore this facility. Would you like help?" the VI asked.

"Yes, help would be nice. You are the VI that runs this place?" Shepard asked.

"This system is monitored to respond to the name _Mira_. May I ask your name?" Mira inquired.

"Commander Shepard. I work for the Citadel's Special Tactics and Reconnaissance."

"One moment, please. Council authority confirmed. You are entitled to Secure Access of all systems. Please note that queries relating to corporate secrets require Privileged Access, which is only available to Binary Helix executives," Mira informed her.

"I need to find Matriarch Benezia."

"Lady Benezia departed on the passenger tramway to the Rift Station subsidiary labs. User alert! The tramway system is currently inoperable." The VI then told them the main reactor helium-3 fuel lines valves needed opened and tramway landlines router needed to be activated manually for them to get to Rift Station. She also mentioned the heat had been turned off to damage or kill biological contaminants.

And it was an icebox in here. She had frozen ice cubes for nipples. She was worried they would crack and fall off.

"That's all I need for now."

"Very well, Commander. Logging you out," Mira stated.

Shepard exited the core and ascended the stairway leading to the roof. They entered another elevator and made their way to the rooftop. As they walked out on the roof Grim shot ahead. They were ambushed by a horde of bugs, both big and small. "Slap them with a lift wave, Kaidan!" Shepard grabbed her bats, she amped them icy and hot…the whips began to sing their song of death. She preferred using her whips to blasts with closer combat. She could maneuver them a lot faster than she could shoot off blasts. Every last bug was dead before the lift wave wore off.

They took the elevator back down, circled around the core and another damned big bug jumped up out of the floor at them. How the hell do they do that? She hit it with a neuroblast and left it for her team to take down. She continued on towards the main reactor. She entered the door on the left and followed the corridor to an elevator that went down to the reactor. When they stepped off the elevator, she walked around the corner and her radar jammed. That always meant geth nearby. She triggered the door on the right. First a hopper crawled through the door, then a juggernaut. She swung around when Kaidan grunted. Another juggernaut was pushing into him. Someone must have backed up too far and triggered the other door. She turned and stood back to back with her team. She was facing one door, they were facing the other. When the geth stopped barreling through, she noticed her radar was still jammed. She stepped out of the door on the right and proceeded slowly down the catwalk, looking everywhere carefully. She heard a warble behind her. She spun around and a geth destroyer was on an upper catwalk. She palmed her bats. She flicked her wrist and it coiled around the geth's neck. She gave it a solid yank. The geth came flying down from the upper balcony. It was scrap before it hit the ground.

Her radar was still jammed. How many were there? She went back through the room and saw long fingers sticking through the bottom of the door. That meant a crouching hopper. When she got close enough, the door opened and she fired straight down into its head. Crap! Still jammed. She headed out the door and followed the cat walk to the right. There was a side ramp going up, so she followed it. At the top of the ramp they found the hopper that was jamming them. As soon as it was down, the radar was clear. She found more goodies in the two rooms at the top of the ramp, but her pockets were full, so handed the goodies off to Tali.

She headed back down the ramp and took the main catwalk around, found the cut fuel lines and repaired them. Done and done. Peak 15 was up and running again….for good or ill.

"The appeal of winter fades very quickly," Tali griped.

"Yeah, I know. I wish we could pop off some incendiaries," Kaidan added.

"You're not kidding…I'm wearing an envirosuit and I'm still freezing!" Tali said.

"True…it's nippy and I think I've got snow in my boots," Kaidan complained.

"Is all that grousing warming you two up?" Shepard asked.

"It gives my mouth something to do besides chatter," Tali told her.

"All-righty then." Shepard said as they hopped the elevator back up to the main floor. As soon as they stepped into the main core hall another huge bug thing jumped out of the floor. Really? She hit it with a neuroshock blast and walked on through the door leading to the transit hub. As they stepped into the elevator a new message was being played.

"User alert! Loose contaminants in the decontamination chamber. Access to passenger tramways inadvisable," Mira stated.

When the elevator opened, she headed to the first door on the left. It was a room that controlled the decontamination chamber that they would have to walk through. Giant bug things were trapped inside the passage.

"I could bypass the door. It looks like the trams to the subsidiary stations are beyond this passage way," Tali told her.

A grate popped up from the floor and another huge bug-thing sprang from below. She hit it with a sonic shockwave that propelled it into the air and turned to look over the control console while her team took care of it. She slapped a big red button that screamed 'hit me'. Flames shot through the decontamination chamber frying the bug things to crumbling ash. Yes! Further on in the room, they caught a garbled message from a salarian scientist who had been so terrified (or perhaps guilty) by what happened that he had killed himself rather than face it.

She walked over to Mira's stand and activated her. "Tell me about Rift Sation."

"Rift Station has been locked down by the staff. There are currently no contaminants within the facility."

"Why is it locked down?"

"Each facility must lock down to prevent spread of contamination. It would also appear that there are several employees quarantined for medical treatment."

"That's all."

"Very well, Shepard. Logging you out."

She entered the decontamination chamber. Her radar showed lifesigns on the other side of the door. Grim spun and flashed in excitement. She suspected they would not be friendly in nature. Whips in hand she moved slowly towards the door until it sensed them and slid open. The cat-sized roach bugs darted in and self destructed, covering them with reeking toxin before they could take out very many. Tali was fine in her suit. But Shepard was thankful she and Kaidan had toxin mods on their armor or it could have gotten messy.

Grim chuckled. "You all are looking green and smelling ripe."

"Bite me, Grim!"

"I'm a holographic orb, Ari. You did not build me with the ability to obey that command." Grim flashed brightly and spun away. Shepard rolled her eyes.

They followed the corridor until it opened up into a large passenger platform. Finally, the tramway. They boarded and rode it until it stopped at the Binary Helix Rift Station. During the ride she flipped open her OT and sent out a quick message. They disembarked. A survey of the room showed that most of the doors from the tramway were locked down. In fact, only one door was open, so they took it and hoped for the best. It led to another set of doors, again only one open to them. It eventually opened up into a room being guarded by a few armed men.

Garrus stopped mid-rant when his OT chimed. He flipped it open. He couldn't stop his mandibles from flaring after he read the message: [Wish you were here…you're missing one hell of a fight]

= Rub it in, because it can never sting too much…Wish I was there too.

He closed his OT and looked around. The corporal had already made a swift retreat. But that was okay. Now that he'd heard from her, he could rest easy for a bit longer.

"Stand sown," the leader said.

"Sorry for the armed welcome, we couldn't be sure what was on the tram."

"I don't blame you. I'd have done the same thing. What's happening here?" she asked him.

"Bugs. Zillions of them. Coming up from the hot labs. Look, you're human so I won't shoot, but I'd like to know who you are."

"My name's Shepard. I'm a Spectre."

"Captain Ventralis. Huh. I won't look a heavily-armed horse in the mouth."

"The bugs overran the hot labs last week. Only Han Olar got out. The board sent an asari to clean up the mess. She went to the hot labs yesterday. We haven't heard from her since," Ventralis informed her.

"I'm not going to let any more of your people die," she assured him.

"There's an emergency elevator out by the trams. This card will let you activate it. It can take you to the hot labs. If you need any first aid, Dr. Cohen's downstairs in the med-bay.

'"I've got work to do."

"Yeah, I hear tha - " he began. Another noise was heard. "Hell! Man the perimeter!"

Two large bug-things popped up through grates on the floor. There are just too many damned floor grates around here. She fired out a sonic blast and Kaidan hit them with a lift wave. Everyone opened fire and took them down hard in a haze of bullets.

"Thanks for the help. Every few hours another wave comes up the tram tunnel," he said.

"I'll do whatever I can to help."

She entered the door behind Ventralis and followed the path around until it eventually opened up into a large main room. She'd remembered Mira telling her about some sick people being quarantined, so the first thing she did was head to the med-bay to see if there was anything she could do to help.

"What? What do you want?" Dr. Cohen asked.

"I hadn't meant to bother you. I just wanted to find out if there was anything I could do to help those that are sick," she told him.

"They were infected with a toxin. Mira, the Peak 15 VI handles the safety protocols for our experiments. When she went down quarantine failed and these three were infected with Thorin-B. It's a bio-weapon. We've engineered it so that it kills individual species, but won't spread like a pandemic. We just wanted to limit the danger. I don't expect you to understand. Our notes and equipment to make the cure are locked in the quarantine labs, but Ventralis won't let us in there," Cohen said.

She was disgusted at the thought of biological warfare, but she didn't want to see men die. "I will see what I can do," she told him and left to head back to Ventralis.

"Something you need?" Ventralis asked her.

"I want to go to the labs and get the toxin cure."

He sighed. "You're not under my command. You want to risk your lives, fine. I'll have the guard let you in, but the guard will lock the door behind you. If you don't pass a full body scan, you stay in there," he warned.

"That sounds like a reasonable precaution," she agreed.

"Good luck in there," he said, shaking her hand.

They returned to the main room and entered the passageway to the quarantine labs. Near the labs she ran into Olar, the volus that survived the hot lab incident. Olar explained that a rachni egg had been found in a derelict ship and they hatched it, bringing the rachni back from the dead.

The guard let her in the quarantine lab. "If you got a death wish you should stand watch on the barricade," He'd told her as she slipped through the door.

She read the notes and mixed the concoction for the cure. She turned around and -

"Your mission ends here, Shepard," an asari said.

"What happened to the guard?" Shepard demanded.

"I didn't have permission to come in. He got in my way. I was ordered to eliminate you, should the opportunity arise. And here you are, trapped in this lab."

"You have one chance to walk out of here. Surrender or you will never leave this lab," Shepard warned her.

The asari laughed. "Weapons free!"

Shepard flung out a neural blast, stunning the asari. And hit the geth with an overload chain. She snaked her whips and took off two twitching geth heads. She flicked her whip at the asari and it coiled around her neck. "Say hello to your goddess." She jerked the whip and a loud snap reverberated off the walls. When the bodies hit the floor, she kicked the asari in the head on the way out the door. Oops.

"Damn, Shepard...and you brought us, why?" Kaidan asked.

"She doesn't play around, does she?" Tali responded.

"Not one bit," he agreed.

"Right here guys. I'll try to remember to give you two some equal play time."

When they stepped out of the lab, Olar stopped them. "They came out of the door there," he said pointing.

"The geth?" Shepard asked.

"Benezia brought them with her," Olar explained.

"How do I get into the maintenance area?"

"A team lead would have access. Like Dr. Cohen, he's in the med-bay," Olar replied.

They returned to the med-bay with the cure.

"Is that the cure?" he asked her.

"Yea, it was a little hard to mix dodging gunfire."

"You were attacked? I can't even stand conflict. I've never even fired anyone. I let the receptionist do it. Look, the soldiers have been on edge since you arrived. I think they've been expecting you. There are more labs in the back. Secret stuff goes on back there. They won't even let me in…only people with _clearance_.

"Do you have access to the maintenance area?"

"Yes, of course. Here, take my pass. There's nothing but snow back there." He took the phial from her. "I just can't thank you enough, you saved their lives," Dr. Cohen said enthusiastically.

"That's what I do. I'm just glad they'll be okay," she said and headed out the door. They made another trip back down to the quarantine labs, because the maintenance exit had been located in the same area. She passed Olar with a wave and headed out the maintenance door. Brrr…back into the snow. They were literally inside a tunnel of snow. At the end of the icy trail was another large rachni. She raised her arm, hit it with a neuroblast and entered the door as her team ghosted the rachni.

The pathway eventually led to two doors, one to the secret labs and one to the secure labs. She might hit the secret labs later for grins and giggles, but right now it's time to face Benezia. A part of her wished Liara was here, that maybe she could talk her mom down. But from everything that she'd heard about indoctrination that would be highly unlikely. If her mom had to die, she didn't want Liara to see that.

As soon as she entered the lab, she spotted a figure that could only be Benezia. Her very recognizable voice confirmed her suspicions.

"You do not know the privilege of being a mother. There is a power in creation. To shape a life. Turn it towards happiness or despair…Her children were to be ours. Raised to hunt Saren's enemies...Have you faced an asari commando unit before? Few humans have," Benezia said as she flung out multiple stasis fields, encapsulating each member of Shepard's team.

Shepard could only watch as she waited for her suit to counteract the stasis. Her suit exterior rapidly heated, expanding the field until it tore open. Grim was sending bolts, acid and flame at the commandos. Shepard released a combat drone. She sent out a neural shockwave and two commandos fell. Her team came out of stasis and took out the two downed asari. Her OTs hummed as she fired blasts of hot followed by cold. When the commandos went down Benezia froze them again while geth and a few more commandos poured in through a door in the back. She tore out of the stasis field, lobbed another combat drone and ducked to avoid a rocket that flew past her head. She amped her OT and sent a heavy neural blast at the asari that was flanking her immobile team. When stasis released them she and her team circled the catwalks, taking out geth and working their way to Benezia.

Shepard took a bead on Benezia and once again felt herself unable to move as more geth filed into the room. Damn, that bitch is strong. Her suit heated quickly. The stasis field broadened until it tore…she stepped out of it.

Benezia frowned. "How do you keep doing that? It's not possible."

"I've got a determination issue…just ask anyone."

"This is not over. Saren is unstoppable. My mind is filled with his light. Everything is clear. No. I will not betray him. You cannot…" Benezia's features contorted and then relaxed. "You must listen. Saren still controls my mind. I can fight his compulsions…briefly. But the indoctrination is strong."

"We talked with Shiala on Feros, she told us of the indoctrination."

"It was a terror being prisoner in your own mind. Waking up to see your hands covered in blood and death."

"Why were you able to break free of his control now?" Shepard asked.

"I sealed a part of my mind away from the indoctrination. Saving it for a moment when I could help destroy him. It will not last long," Benezia told her.

"So you would turn on me again?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, but it would not be my will, Shepard. People are not themselves around Saren. You would do anything for him. The key is Sovereign, his flagship. It is a dreadnought of incredible size and its power is extraordinary. The longer you stay aboard, the more Saren's will seems correct. It was subtle, I thought I would be strong enough to resist. I was wrong. He sent me here to find the location of the Mu Relay," Benezia explained.

"How does something that big go missing?" Shepard asked.

"Four thousand years ago, a star nearby went supernova. The shockwave propelled the relay out of its system, but didn't damage it," Benezia told her.

"Did someone on Noveria find it?"

"Two thousand years ago, the rachni inhabited that region of our galaxy. They discovered the relay. Queens inherit the knowledge of their mothers. I took the location of the relay from the queen's mind. I was not gentle."

"You can make this right. Give me the information that you gave Saren."

"I transcribed the data to an OSD. Take it. Please. You must hurry I sent him the coordinates before you arrived…You have to stop me…" she said, turning away. "I can't…You should - ," Benezia swung back around to face them, "DIE!"

Benezia and several commandos picked up the fight again. Shepard threw a neural blast at Benezia and was surprised it caught her; she must have really depleted herself. She amped her OT and sent a neural shockwave at two commandos, leaving them for her team to deal with while she focused on bringing Benezia down, as she was the most dangerous. Kaidan took bead on an asari that was stumbling around, blinded from Grim's loving ministrations.

When Benezia finally went down, she looked too weak to do any more real damage, so she joined her team to bring down the rest of the commandos. When nothing else begged for her attention, she returned to Benezia, hoping the woman would surrender now. Benezia, though greatly weakened, had made it back to her feet.

"I cannot go on. You must stop him, Shepard," Benezia said weakly.

"We've got medi-gel, maybe we can - " Shepard began.

"No," Benezia interrupted. "I cannot be healed, not when Saren is still in my mind, controlling me. I am not entirely myself and I never will be again… I could never be trusted. I don't want to hurt anyone else. I need it to end."

"Your daughter is with me on the Normandy. I know she would be proud of your strength...that you were able to help us."

"My little wing. I am so proud of her. Give her..." she gasped, "...my love." Benezia said as she sank weakly to the ground. "No light? They always said there would be – ahhh." A last breath escaped from her lips before her eyes saw no more.

Damn it! Shepard had really hoped they could have brought her in, for Liara's sake. This was not how she'd wanted things to end. Perhaps she should have forced the medi-gel on her. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Benezia was tired of the fight, she sought release. "Sleep well, Benezia. May you rest in the arms of your Goddess," Shepard said quietly.

Shepard turned and made her way over to the massive rachni queen in the holding tank. The queen pushed herself up against the side of the tank and Shepard jumped back in surprise, knocking into someone. "Sor-" Stars…it was one of the dead asari. What the hell was going on? Shepard amped her OT, ready for anything. Her team had their guns trained on the asari.

The asari shambled her way over to the tank and then turned to face Shepard. "This one. Serves as our voice. We cannot sing. Not in these low spaces. Your musics are colorless," the asari said.

"Musics? Our language?" Shepard asked confused.

"Your way of communication is strange. Flat. It does not color the air. When we speak, one moves all. We are the mother. We sing for those left behind. The children you thought silenced. We are rachni," the asari stated.

"How are you speaking through the asari?" Shepard asked.

"Our kind sing through the touching of thought. We pluck the strings, and the other understands. She is weak to urging. She has colors we have no names for. But she is ending. Her music is bittersweet. It is beautiful. The children we birthed were stolen from us before they could learn to sing. They are lost to silence. End their suffering. They cannot be saved. They will only cause harm as they are," the queen explained.

"Why are your children killing people?" Shepard asked.

"These needle-men. They stole our eggs from us. They sought to turn our children into beasts of war. Claws with no songs of their own. Our elders are comfortable with silence. Children know only fear if no one sings to them. Fear has shattered their minds," the queen said. "Before you deal with our children, we stand before you. What will you sing? Will you release us? Are we to fade away once more?" she asked calmly.

"There is acid in those tanks strong enough to kill anything. They wouldn't have installed that if they weren't afraid of the consequences of her getting loose," Tali pointed out.

"Commander, there are a lot of grudges in the galaxy. She has done nothing to us. If you kill her you kill an entire species," Kaidan retorted.

"Your companions speak the truth. You have the power to free us or return our people to the silence of memory."

"If I let you go, will you hurt others?" Shepard asked.

"No. We –I do not know what happened during the war. We heard only discordance. Music the color of oily shadows. We would seek a hidden place to teach our children harmony. If they understand, perhaps we will return," the queen replied.

"Are you a survivor from the war?" Shepard asked.

"We were only an egg. We heard our mother's screams. Others came. The musics changed. Singers were forced to sing to its sour yellow note. We awoke here, the last survivor of the singing planet. The skies are silent," the queen lamented.

Shepard looked down for a moment gathering her thoughts. What right did she have to commit xenocide? Kill an entire species out of fear over just a possibility. What if she was unleashing an old threat back into the galaxy? Would they ravage the galaxy once more? Was it as she said – that someone controlled them, took away their free will, during the war? Would she honor their agreement and slip into obscurity? The ramifications of this decision could be exponential.

Shepard sighed and looked at the queen. "I won't destroy your entire race. You'll go free."

"You will give us the chance to compose anew? We will remember. We will sing of your forgiveness to our children," the queen assured Shepard.

Shepard walked over to the control console and released the queen from her prison. The tank rose up to the loading platform and the asari dropped back to the floor, her body no longer a vessel. The queen turned, gave Shepard a last look, chattered an acknowledgement and scurried away.

Shepard looked around. The only exit open to them was back to the tram. So they followed the corridor back up to the main tram platform. This worked out perfectly, because she still needed to make it to the hot labs. Once at the elevator door, she used Ventralis' key card to gain entrance. The lab was empty but for a lone man sitting upon a chair.

"Are you here to secure the situation?" he asked.

"That's right, I'm a Council Spectre. Who're you?"

"I'm Yaroslav Tartakovsky, the operations director. I would stand and shake hand, but…Ehh.." His voice faded a bit with discomfort and pain. "You must listen to me. If we do not contain our mistake, they will drop bombs from the battle-stations. You understand?" he asked in desperation.

"You let these things out?" Shepard asked in irritation.

"Ehh. I am only following the orders. Binary Helix found an egg. It was on a derelict ship, thousands of years drifting. This was rachni ship. Inside they find many eggs in cryogenic suspension. That this egg survived is miraculous. Binary helix planned to clone rachni. Mass-produce them. Create an army. But when they get here, they find this egg is a queen. After she lays eggs, they move her to Rift Station. They are thinking that without her, they can raise the babies to be obedient," he explained.

"Wait a minute. Don't you need a male to get eggs?"Kaidan asked.

"Queens are born carrying the genetic code of their fathers. Queens can lay eggs in hours, and have a colony in days. This is how they spread so quickly," he said.

"Separating them from their mother was a bad choice," Shepard said, remembering what the queen had told her.

"Right. This was the exactly wrong thing to do. I'm thinking without the queen, rachni do not develop properly. Her mind is shaping theirs. These rachni are uncontrollable."

"You're right. Something needs to be done quickly," she said with a bit of impatience.

"I am thinking that the neutron purge must be set off," he told her.

"I'm not familiar with the purge system," she admitted.

"It creates burst of neutron radiation. Kills everything within the station. Things beyond get genetic damage of varying degree. It is very powerful. Mother always said I would meet a bad end," he said sadly.

"How do we set off the purge?" Shepard asked.

"Arming controls are nearby. All you do is insert the key. Then I will give Mira destruct co - , Uh!"

A rachni pincer pierced through his heart, lifting him into the air and flung his dead body to the side. Shepard raised her hand and hit the rachni with a sonic blast. Grim darted over to the dead man, scanned him and then spun around, shooting flames at the large bug just for spite and then returned to Shepard.

"I scanned Tartakovsky and have sent the destruct code to your OT."

"Thank you, Grim. Don't know what I'd do without you."

"I don't think you want me to answer that."

She headed for the rear door; her team followed her after they took down the rachni. She activated a Mira pedestal.

"I have full access to the facility, and am at your disposal," Mira said.

"Are there any survivors in here?" Shepard asked.

"There are no living crew members alive within the lab structure."

"Good. Initiate the neutron purge," Shepard told her.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that without proper code authorization."

"Code input: 875-020-079. Code Omega local execution," Shepard replied.

"Code Omega execution in 120 seconds," Mira stated.

"We don't know what we face out there. Keep your guns ready, but focus on running your asses off. We need to get to the tram. Move out," Shepard commanded.

When the door slid open a horde of rachni solders rushed them. Grim took point, keeping a solid spray of fire going to try to help clear the path. She kept up a barrage of sonic blasts, tossing them out of the way as they made their way towards the far door. They were tenacious bastards and far too many for them to deal with in a straight up fight, so they did what they could and relied on swift feet and fast dodging to get to the door.

Once past the door, they beat feet to the tram car. All other exits were locked to them, so they took the tram back to Peak 15. They made their way back out to the mako, climbed aboard and drove back to the main port. She had to admit the drive back was a lot more relaxing. She, Kaidan, and Tali talked about everything they had seen and how best to break the news to Liara concerning her mother. They all agreed that Shepard would be the bearer of bad news. The joys of command.

When they arrived at the port, they climbed out of the mako and made their way back to the hotel bar. Shepard bought them each a round. The mission had been grueling, they deserved it. In actuality she wanted to come back here to check on Qui'in. She wanted to say goodbye to him once more before leaving, but he was no longer here. He must have been put into protective custody already. She wished him the best.

They walked out of the port and back to the Normandy. She told them to hit the showers and get a bite to eat, debriefing in the comm room in 30.

Garrus stood in front of the door leading to the lower level. He peered across the room and watched as Shepard came in through the airlock. It was taking everything in his power not to rush to her side. His eyes drank in the sight of her. She appeared unharmed, though looked thoroughly exhausted. Her armor was covered in green ichor. He darted through the door and ran down the steps when he noticed she was heading his way. His heart was racing, but at least his mind was now at peace. She was ok.

He headed to the mess and picked up a large tray of food. It was piled with both human and turian edibles. He finally caught up with her as she was heading to her room in her body suit. He was glad she'd stopped off at the armory to detail her armor; because he was pretty sure it smelled as bad as it looked.

"Oh, bless you...food…come on in," she said as she walked into her cabin. She grabbed a piece of fruit from the human side of the tray and popped it in her mouth. She closed her eyes and savored it. Using her OTs drained her reserves so much she constantly needed to eat to refuel herself. When her OT charge ran low they would siphon the energy...the electrical impulses from her body to remain active.

She walked over to her closet, pulled off her body suit and slipped on a navel ring. It was a rose gold tear drop. She grabbed a fresh set of clothes and a towel. Due to company she left her underwear and bra on and headed for the shower. "I'll be just a minute. Please wait," she said as she disappeared behind the door.

Garrus' mouth dropped open, but his heart slid to the floor. He'd never seen so much of Shepard's creamy white, soft skin before. It was truly intriguing. And utterly appealing. His hands wanted to touch her so bad that he was forced to shove them under his thighs to make sure they behaved. The sad part was it was very obvious just how much in the friend zone he actually was. He had to admit it hurt.

Garrus heard the water turn off and the speed dry go on. He grabbed a piece of food and pretended nonchalance when she walked out clean and fully clothed.

Shepard had to admit she was a little put out that he hadn't even noticed she was running around nearly naked. What did she have to do to get his attention? Was she so far in the friend zone that he couldn't even see her? That was certainly a painful ego kill. She plopped down on the sofa next to him, curled into his side and began making short work of the repast he'd brought her.

Garrus dropped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer. He loved their peaceful moments together like this. He didn't just love them, he lived for them. It was a bit of a shock to discover just how dependent he had become on her. How much his life revolved around her. So much so that he could not picture his life without her in it.

Shepard was just finishing off the human food when her door chimed. She got up, stretched, and headed for the door. Kaidan was standing there holding a tray heaping with food. "More food! Wonderful. Come on in. I'm still hungry," she said with a smile.

Kaidan stood a moment and gaped. Damn smile left him standing around like a scatter brained moron. He shook his head to clear it and walked into the room. He noticed Garrus lounging on the sofa and an empty tray on the table. He put his tray on top of the empty one. The doorbell chimed again. While Garrus and Kaidan glared at each other Shepard went to see who was there. Liara stood with a tray piled full of food.

"I thought we'd have a bite to eat before heading for the debrief," Liara said.

Shepard stood back and bid her to enter. Liara looked from Kaidan to Garrus and gave a nervous laugh. She placed her tray next to the other one and they all sat around the food eating and talking. Shepard broke the news to Liara about her mother. If the news hurt Liara at all, she didn't show it, though there was a visible start when she'd heard the term 'little wing'. She took her mother's death in stride. Other than the news about Benezia, she didn't talk any more about the mission, since she was going to have to go over all at debrief anyway.

When it was time for debrief, they each grabbed the tray they brought and took it back to the mess before heading on to the comm room.

Shepard went over what occurred down on Noveria. Tali and Kaidan filled in what they could, so that everyone was up to speed on what happened and what they needed to do next.

"What's our next move, Commander? Head to the Mu Relay?" Ashley asked.

"The Mu Relay could link dozens of systems. Unless we know exactly where Saren's going, we'd just be wasting our time," Shepard responded.

"Shepard is right. We cannot rush off blind. We still need to learn more about Saren," Liara seconded.

"Who put you in charge? Did the commander resign when I wasn't looking?" Ashley asked snidely.

"We're all on the same team here, Williams. She's just trying to help," Shepard said calmly.

"Sorry, Commander," Ashley replied.

"This is a tough mission. We're all on edge. Everyone go get some rest," Shepard said standing up. "Crew…dismissed!"

As they filed out the door, Joker said, "Noveria report is away, Commander. You want me to patch you through to the council?"

"Not this time, Joker. Don't really care to face the music concerning the rachni queen."

"I hear that, Commander."

It was time to make her rounds. She took the stairs down and decided to check in on Kaidan first.

"I didn't think the debrief was the right place for me to tell you how ridiculous this all is. Seems like every other race in the galaxy is so wrapped up in their own problems they can't see what's coming." Kaiden said in frustration.

"Wanting to believe everything is fine? Sounds like human nature to me," Shepard said.

"Yeah, I guess some things carry across to other species. Vyrnnus had been horrible. But he made me see how human aliens are. They're not different or special. They're jerks and saints, just like us."

"That they are. The turian Councilor comes to mind…and a saint he's not," Shepard said with a laugh.

"I'm glad I'm not the one that has to deal with that ass," he said with a chuckle. "I'm not sure how you manage it. I –it means a lot to me that you have been there for me. That you're willing to listen. Not just talk to me, but really listen. I've never met anyone like you before. You're an unforgettable woman, Shepard," Kaidan said clearing his throat. "It will be good when this Saren business is behind us, so that we can make future plans. I'm …uh…looking forward to some shore leave," Kaidan told her.

"Ooh…You have a woman you're looking to woo, Kaidan?" Shepard asked with a cocked brow and a smile.

Kaidan cleared his throat and blushed. "You could say that…ma'am," Kaidan said softly.

Shepard gave him a wink and turned towards the med-bay. She needed to speak to Liara. Shepard walked into the back room of the med-bay slowly. She didn't want to disturb Liara if she was busy. Liara looked over and stood up from her desk.

"If you are here to talk about Benezia's death, you needn't bother. She brought it upon herself," Liara said rationally.

"Don't pretend it doesn't bother you. She was your mother."

"She was…but she was not. I prefer to remember Benezia as she used to be, before she was corrupted by Sovereign's power," Liara said solemnly.

"The best part of your mother lives on in you: her determination, her intelligence, her strength," Shepard assured her.

"That is kind of you to say. I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine," Liara insisted. "Benezia chose her path, just as I have chosen mine. I am with you until the end, Shepard."

She told Liara how much she appreciated her and that she would see her tonight for the vid. Shepard strode out of the med-bay and made her way back up to the bridge. Call her a coward, but she was pretty sure she'd get an earful from Wrex and Ashley about letting the rachni queen go, so she decided to hold off talking with them until tempers had a chance to cool. No sense stepping in a pile when you can walk around it. Joker heard her approach.

"Boy, I am glad to be off Noveria. I don't know which was worse: the cold or the corporations. One will freeze your balls off; the other will sell 'em out from under you. With all due respect, Commander," Joker said with a shiver.

"Well, at least that explains what happened to my balls," Shepard said drolly.

"Good one, Commander!" Joker laughed.

Chapter 8

Virmire

Over the next three weeks, Shepard was contacted more and more by Admiral Hackett of Fifth Fleet, who needed her help with several more missions. She helped a diplomatic hostage, cleaned out a base that had been taken over by biotics, helped two ex marines suffering from PTSD, took out some Exo-Geni scientists who refused to come in, found and dealt with a survey team that had been turned into husks, took out crap-load of rachni that had overrun a couple of Alliance posts, and a few other mundane missions that apparently only she could handle.

It's hard to get a serious gripe going when the in-between down time is so damned nice. Her teammates were beginning to feel like family. With things starting to come to a head, she wondered how many would choose to stay on with her once Saren was brought down. Tali needed to get back to her flotilla, but the rest – would they stay on? As far as she could tell no one else had anything to really go back to. She didn't want to see any of them leave. She had grown too attached to them, even more so to Garrus.

They had finished their last mission a few days ago and have been waiting in the Hoc system for confirmation. The wait was now over. They just received word, on a private channel, from a Citadel infiltrator on the surface of Virmire – there has been a visual on Saren. They were heading in.

She met her team for the lineup down in the cargo bay. Her brain would have chosen Garrus and Tali for this mission; they were the best team to handle geth. But her sight chose Garrus and Ashley. Ashley? That's certainly nowhere she would have gone. Well, she knew not to argue with the sight. "Garrus, Ashley gear up be ready in 10. Dismissed."

As they approached the planet's surface Kaidan said, "Check out those defense towers!"

"Drop the mako. We'll go in hot and take them out," Shepard instructed.

"I'll get you in underneath their radar, Commander," Joker replied.

Shepard turned to her team. Garrus' aura was brighter. She asked him if he would allow her a good luck kiss and he agreed. When their mouths touched, her lips clung to his a moment longer than necessary. As they took a step away from each other, neither was too steady. Shepard was starting to worry. It was getting harder to walk away after one of those kisses.

Ashley grunted in disgust. She didn't know how her commander could stomach kissing all those aliens. It was awkward enough when Shepard asked to kiss her for good luck. For the sake of the mission Ashley accepted those kisses stoically. But aliens?

Shepard followed her team into the mako. Ashley took guns and Garrus took nav and scanners. It felt good to have him next to her again. While Garrus might have preferred to be on guns, he could read nav and scanners a hell of a lot better than Ashley.

The Normandy's cargo door slowly opened and they rolled down its incline and out into the bright sunlight. She fired the thrusters and they landed with only a slight jar.

"We got a clean drop, Commander," Joker said.

"Stay out of range and continue evasive maneuvers until I bring those AA towers down," Shepard ordered.

"I know the drill. Meet you at camp once those towers are off-line. Joker out."

As they moved down the shallow river she noted that steering was a bit more awkward, probably due to the traction and pull of the waterway. Garrus notified them of synthetic signatures on the radar. They could now make a visual on some sort of walking robotic crab-things patrolling the water. Ashley fired on one and it exploded. Shepard told her to hold up. They weren't firing on us, so they may not actually be hostile. She wanted to save their ammo, unsure how much it would take to get through this mission. She hoped that was the right call. It would be a trifle embarrassing and dangerous if those things activated later and flanked them.

Shepard was in awe…this was the most beautiful planet she had ever been to. If she could retire anywhere, this would be the place. It was a tropical paradise.

As they rounded another bend, two drones fired at them. Shepard sighed, it was too long between rockets and guns were a bitch against something so agile. If she had her way, they'd ditch the mako and do this on foot. Um, yeah…she did have her way. "Everyone out. We're doing this on foot," She ordered.

They looked at her like she was nuts. She shrugged. "I need the exercise," she said. Then, they looked at her like she was crazy, everyone knew how intensely the commander worked out. "Okay, those drones are far too agile for the mako's large guns. So buck up and enjoy the scenery."

She released Grim and they headed out on foot. As they proceeded they took out the drones from a safe distance. She overloaded any geth they came across and let her team take them down. It was a nice, working system. They arrived at a gatehouse. They took out two geth below. One had been next to the stairs leading up to the gatehouse bridge; the other had been in the water in one of the open gateways. They took down another geth on the gatehouse bridge above them. She ascended the stairs and worked herself to the other side of the bridge, taking out any geth that popped up along the way. She made her way back down the stairs and continued further down the shallow river bed.

Around the first bend they discovered their first armature. Armatures were a wee bit more of a hassle. She hacked it and while it was confused she fired an overload charge followed by hot and cold blasts, while her team filled it full of bullets. They fell too; it just took more…finesse. Though, brute force was a good option too.

They were approaching their first gatehouse with one of the giant AA guns. It was much heavier fortified than the other gatehouse had been.

"There's our target, Shepard," Garrus said.

They took out several geth on the ground and veered up the stairs on the right.

"There must be some way to shut that gun down," Ashley stated.

You think? Shepard rolled her eyes and continued making short work of the geth that sought to stop her from making it to the other side of the bridge, where the controls were obviously located. They took down the geth guarding the control room, slipped through the doorway and shut down the gun. She turned and located a control that opened the gate doors. She could hear the grinding as the doors opened.

"I'm reading that the grid is down, Commander. On approach to the salarian base now. Out," Joker stated.

"When you set down, send a team out to fetch the mako. We hoofed it."

"You did what?" Joker's voice cracked. "I mean... Roger that, Commander."

Shepard chuckled.

They went back across the bridge and descended the stairs. They continued onward. When they rounded a bend they saw a second gatehouse. Three geth were waiting outside and one at the top of the gatehouse made itself known. When those were dealt with she went up the stairs on the right. Four more geth were waiting at the top. She fired an overload chain and moved on, trusting her team to do clean up the twitching, dancing geth. Going through the second half of the bridge brought her face to face with two more geth who had been blinded and tortured by Grim. She flung her hand out, shot out a sonic blast that dashed them hard against the wall. She put a bullet in each out of spite. Then she used the console to open the gate.

"That's it. Nothing left between us and the salarian camp now," Ashley pointed out.

They made their way back down the stairs, thankful that they were almost there.

"Commander. Normandy's touched down at the base, but it looks like we are grounded. The salarian captain can explain when you arrive," Joker informed her.

Grounded? She wondered what that was all about. As she approached Kaidan she heard him ask," So what are we supposed to do now?"

"Stay put until we come up with a plan," the salarian said.

"Are you in charge here? What's the situation?" Shepard asked the salarian.

"I'm Captain Kirrahe, Third Infiltration Regiment STG. You and your crew have just landed in a hot-zone. Every AA gun within 10 miles has been alerted to your presence."

"Well then, we will have to do something about that. We were sent here to investigate, your distress call wasn't clear," Shepard told him.

"That's a repetition of our task. I lost half my men investigating this place," Kirrahe said.

"What did your investigation turn up?" Shepard asked him.

"Saren's base of operations. He's set up a research facility here, but it's crawling with geth and very well fortified. He's using the facility to breed an army of krogan," Kirrahe told her.

"How is that possible?" Wrex asked.

"Apparently Saren has discovered a cure for the genophage."

"With the geth and an army of krogan, he'd be unstoppable," Shepard said with a shiver.

"Exactly my thoughts. We must make sure that this facility and its secrets are destroyed," Kirrahe stated.

"Destroyed? I don't think so. Our people are dying. This cure can save them," Wrex admonished.

"If this gets out the krogan will overrun the galaxy again. We can't make the same mistake," Kirrahe said.

Wrex got up in the salarian's face, his finger jabbing at the skinny chest. "We are _not_ a mistake!" he growled and stormed off.

"Is he going to be a problem? We already have enough angry krogan to deal with," Kirrahe said with frustration.

"I'll talk to him, try to bring him around."

"I'd appreciate that, Commander." Kirrahe walked off to talk to his men.

Shepard approached Wrex slowly. She wasn't sure exactly what she was going to tell him.

"This isn't right, Shepard. If there's a cure for the genophage, we can't destroy it," Wrex told her.

"I understand why you are upset. But we both know Saren's the enemy here. He's the one you should be angry with," Shepard said.

"Really? Saren created a cure for my people and you want to destroy it. Help me out here, Shepard. The lines between friend and foe are getting a little blurry from where I stand," He grumbled.

"This isn't a cure, it's a weapon. And if Saren is allowed to use it, you won't be around to reap the benefits. None of us will."

Wrex pulled his pistol on her. She responded by throwing her arms up and moving in front of Wrex. She expanded her shield until it surrounded him as well.

"What are you doing, Shepard?" he asked. "You look the idiot."

"I'm pretty sure you don't want to die. Which will probably occur if I don't keep myself between you and them," she said pointing behind her to Ashley , Kaidan and Garrus who had their guns ready and trained on Wrex.

Wrex grunted acknowledging the truth of her words and snapped his pistol back to his hip. "Nothing else matters. That's a chance we should be willing to take. This is the fate of my entire people we're talking about!" Wrex growled angrily. "I've been loyal to you so far. Hell, you've done more for me than my family ever did. But if I'm going to continue following you, I need to know we're doing it for the right reasons."

"Wrex, these krogan are not your people. They are slaves of Saren. Tools. Is that what you want for them?"

"No. We were tools for the Council once. To thank us for wiping out the rachni, they neutered us all. I doubt Saren will be so generous," Wrex admitted.

"Saren destroys everything he touches. Leaves no evidence behind. You know that, you told me what he did to the mercs that he hired. I'm not saying your people don't deserve to be cured. They do. But do you honestly believe they have a good enough government in place to keep them in line?" Shepard asked. "If your people were cured, what would they do with it?"

"Go after the salarians and turians for payback," he told her honestly.

"Exactly so. What would happen if they did seek revenge?" She asked.

"Another galactic war," Wrex said.

"Yes. A repeat of history. Is that what you want for your people?"

"We could win this time," Wrex said.

"There are just too many races that would join against you. And humanity has been added since the last war. And we're a cagey bunch," Shepard said with a shrug and a smile.

Wrex's face slackened. He shook his head. "All right, Shepard. You've made your point. I don't like this, but I trust you enough to follow your lead. But just so you know, I want Saren's head," Wrex told her in no uncertain terms.

She retracted her shield and stepped back. She gave Wrex a calculated look. "Wrex, perhaps you should consider going back to your people and becoming the leader they need. With a strong enough leader to take them in a new direction, perhaps they will be ready to have the genophage cured," she said softly.

"I already told you that I'm not a hero, Shepard."

"Everyone can be a hero, Wrex. How big a hero is up to them. But you are a reasonable man, Wrex. I think you'd make a damn fine leader. You just need to believe in yourself to make it happen."

Wrex rolled his eyes, grumbled about humans in general as he walked away.

She looked at his retreating form. If I can save the cure I will, my friend, but I won't be giving it to you just yet. She turned around and headed back to the rest of her crew.

"Nice work with Wrex. I didn't think anything would calm him down," Kaidan said appreciatively.

"It won't be an easy fight, but we're ready when you are," Ashley told her.

"I can't believe you were able to calm Wrex down. Okay – that's not true. If anyone could calm him, it would be you. You just have a certain _something_ about you, Shepard. But you shouldn't have shielded him from us. He could have..." Garrus said and cleared his throat. He couldn't finish that thought.

She placed a hand to his cheek and gave him a soft smile before dropping it. "When we go in, if you find the cure - I want you to save for me. I'm trying to convince Wrex to assume control of the krogan. If he does, well - we'll see what the future holds." She nodded at Garrus' stunned look and returned to Kirrahe.

"Thank you for speaking with the krogan. The assault on Saren's base will be difficult enough as it is," Kirrahe told her.

"What's the plan of attack?" Shepard asked.

"We will convert our ship's drive core into a twenty-kiloton ordnance. Crude, but effective," Kirrahe said.

"Nice! Drop that nuke from orbit and Saren can kiss his turian ass goodbye," Ashley said smugly.

"Unfortunately, the facility is too well-fortified for that. We'll need to place the bomb at a precise location on the far side of the facility. Your ship can drop it off, but we'll need to infiltrate the base, disable the AA guns, and pacify any ground forces first," Kirrahe responded.

"You want us to go in on foot? We don't have enough men," Kaidan said.

"I'm going to divide my men into three teams and hit the front of the facility. While we've got their attention, you can sneak your_ shadow_ team in the back."

"It's a good idea, but your people are going to get slaughtered," Shepard said with concern.

"We are tougher than we look. Though, you _are_ right. I do not expect many of us will make it out alive. And that makes what I'm going to ask even more difficult. I need one of your team to accompany me. To help coordinate the teams."

"I volunteer, Commander," Kaidan said.

"Not so fast, LT. I'll go with the salarians," Ashley cut in.

"With all due respect, Gunnery Chief, it's not your place to decide," Kaidan admonished her.

"Why is it whenever someone says _with all due respect_ they really mean _kiss my ass_?" Ashley retorted.

Shepard held up her hand to quiet the bickering duo. She thought over her squad. Kaidan offered the best leadership skills. He was the senior ranking officer and he was calm under pressure. Garrus was too rash, Wrex had a grudge against the salarians, and nobody else had leadership abilities. She closed her eyes and focused her sight. Kaidan's aura glowed the brightest. It was good indeed when aura and mind agreed. Kaidan it was.

"Alenko, you're with the captain. Keep it simple and stay safe, understood?" she told him.

"Of course, Commander. I have too much to look forward to. I won't take unneeded risks," he told her with a smile.

Kirrahe nodded. "I will have the ordnance loaded onto the Normandy and brief your crew on its detonation sequencing. Do you have any questions?" Kirrahe asked.

"I know the Normandy is picking my team up, but how will you escape the blast?"

"We will engage the geth as long as possible. Once the bomb is in place, we will fall back to try to escape. If we move quickly, we should be able to escape with acceptable casualties. If not, then our memories will live on as martyrs to a greater cause," he explained.

She hoped it didn't come to that. "Shadow seems clear enough, what will the other teams be called?"

"Aegohr, Mannovai, and Jaeto. They were the initial settlements on our first three colony worlds. They are at the heart of salarian territory to this day. They will remind my men what they are fighting for. "

"Give me a rundown," Shepard said.

"We will create a distraction while your shadow team infiltrates the base. Make your way to the breeding grounds; disable the AA guns so the Normandy can deliver the nuke. Place the bomb next to the geothermal taps, and then get out before it detonates," Kirrahe explained.

"How reliable is the bomb?" she asked.

"The drive system is highly impervious to damage from external sources. Once armed, very little can stop it," Kirrahe responded.

"We're ready when you are, Captain," Shepard said.

"Excellent. If you will excuse me, I need to prepare my men." He walked around her and stood at the head of his troops.

Shepard turned to face Kaidan.

"Before I go, I just need to tell you that I - " He looked over at Ashley. "I, ah…I just wanted to say it's been an honor serving under you, er – with you, Commander," Kaidan said with a flush.

"This isn't over by a long shot, Kaidan. So, don't leave here thinking you aren't coming back. I've got your back, just as I always have. Count on it," Shepard told him.

"Understood, Commander," Kaidan replied.

She shook his hand and turned as she heard Kirrahe speak to his men.

"You all know the mission and what is at stake. We were trained for espionage. We would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way. Think of our heroes: the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts. These giants are not all that we are. Before the networks, there was a fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers. Our influence stopped the rachni, but before that we held the line. Our influence stopped the krogan, but before that we held the line! Our influence _will_ stop Saren! In the battle today, we _will_ hold the line!" Kirrahe's voice boomed his conviction. He turned to face Shepard once more. "Good luck, Commander. I hope we will meet again."

"Me too, Kirrahe. It's been an honor." Shepard shook his hand. They synced their comm channel. She turned to the rest of her team. Ashley, being the only other alliance soldier on the team would be staying with the ship and the bomb. She focused her sight to evaluate the others. What if I took all four of them? Would I have a better chance of success? She gasped when she saw all their auras turn black. A shiver ran down her spine. She'd never seen that happen before and knew she never wanted to again. Perhaps, if she took them all they would garner too much attention or maybe the camp would be overrun, preventing the Normandy from delivering the bomb. Ok. Who do I take with me then? The auras colored up and two shined brighter. Interesting. With krogan involved that's not who she would have chosen…but there had to be a reason. "Garrus, Tali you're with me," Shepard said.

Wrex approached her. "Shepard, I already told you I want Saren's head."

"Wrex, when the time comes, you will have it. But I do not think we will be taking it this day. As much as I wish what happens today will end things, in my heart I know that it will not. My feelings are never wrong, Wrex. I need you and Liara to stay here and defend the ship and the camp. If the camp falls the Normandy won't be able to deliver the bomb. Let me know of any new developments." He grumbled discontent, but accepted her words. He knew the camp...the ship needed to be defended at all costs and he knew he could do that better than anyone else.

"Comm check. Do you read me, Commander?" Kirrahe asked.

"Loud and clear," she told him.

"Good. We'll start our push. We'll try to make it to the AA guns, but it might be up to you to finish the job. And, Commander? If you see any way to undermine their defenses, we could definitely use the help."

"Roger that. I'll do what I can. Shepard out." She told Tali the same thing she'd told Garrus about the cure. She wasn't sure who would be a position to obtain it when the time came and she needed them all on the same page. She turned to her team, evaluated them and asked Tali if she could kiss her for luck. Tali agreed. This was the first time Tali had showed up as the good luck charm. She moved in to place a kiss on her helmet and Tali shook her head.

"I've been taking supplements, boosted my immunity and nerve stims since I learned about your system," Tali admitted blushing. "I didn't want to take the chance of my mask preventing proper good luck." She removed the face plate of her helmet.

"You are very pretty, Tali." Shepard leaned in and slid her lips against Tali's. "Thank you for the honor."

Tali blushed brighter red. She quickly replaced the view plate and programmed another antibiotic boost.

They started forward through the shallow river bed on their way to the communication tower.

"Shadow team is on the ground. I repeat shadow team is on the ground. Lieutenant Alenko, with Aegor team! Mannovai, Jaeto teams, move! Time to get some attention!"

"Fire is coordinated on Mannovai team. We can't reach the geth turrets. They're out of range!" Kirrahe shouted.

As they approached the tower, several geth on the ground began to fire at them. She ordered her team to take cover. She grabbed her sniper and blew the head off one on the upper deck of the tower. She snapped it to her back and pulled off her AR and started up the stairs. Two more geth were heading down to greet them. One geth lost his head, spun around and toppled over. Way to go Garrus. She blasted the second with a sonic wave that sent it flying further than she thought it would. She rounded the corner at the top of the stairs and another geth went down. Garrus was on top of things. She located the control console and deactivated the communications tower. Hopefully, that would disorganize the geth a bit and make things easier for the other teams.

They moved out. Next stop would be the Satellite Uplink. Her radar picked up synthetic signatures ahead. They rounded a bend in the riverbed and took out the two geth there. She noted more signatures, so headed back and took the other bend in the riverbed. A geth and several drones greeted them. The geth was easy to take down, the drones not so much. She launched Grim. Garrus took one down with an overload. The other was proving to be very good at dodging, but it couldn't get away from Grim. "Good job, old boy!"

They could make out the station ahead.

"Something scrambled their targeting. We've got a shot! Lieutenant Alenko, take the heat off Mannovai!" Kirrahe commanded.

They took down two geth on the ground.

"They're calling for sat-strikes! Jaeto, watch comm stations! Alenko, can you see anything?" Kirrahe asked.

She ran up the stairs, shot a geth and slammed a krogan with a neuralblast. She saw the satellite panels above her and started pouring fire into it until it started to come down. Garrus plowed into her, sending them both flying to the left. The panels crashed down where she had been standing.

"Thank you, Garrus. That was very impressive." She told him.

Garrus lowered his forehead to hers. His heart was racing, his breath ragged. The fear he felt when he saw those panels coming down was still tearing through him. "Have a care," he said softly, trying to regain some semblance of control. He rolled off her and helped her to her feet.

Tali gave small smile, tinged with sadness. Before Shepard, Tali never would have thought she'd fall for a woman. But it was hard not to fall in love with Shepard. There was just something about her that drew people in. It was painfully obvious Shepard and Garrus were in love and just as obvious that neither knew. Guess it was time for her to place a wager in Joker's pool before it was too late. She couldn't help but feel time was drawing short before those two would open their eyes and see the truth.

"Aircraft drones heading to perimeter stations to refuel. Bunker up before they come back!" Kirrahe ordered.

They worked their way out the back of the station and a pull led her in the right direction. Tali's drone shot ahead, sending shock bolts at anything it came across. Grim twirled around the drone, reciting its shortcomings and then darted off to sow mischief of his own. She followed the platform walkway, took out a geth that popped up in her path and continued on and found a refueling platform heavily defended by drones. She took out the two tanks, which in turn took out several drones, and then they focused on the remaining drones. Had she mentioned how annoying they were? She locked onto and hacked one of the drones. Chatika was busy harassing them and Grim was sending them to their maker. When they were down she continued on until she saw the research facility. Instead of heading directly in, she took another platform walkway and circled back around. She did not want any enemies sneaking up their asses. Her gamble paid off. Several enemies had already begun to flank her. They were even able to take out more troops stationed at the facility when they found a nice little sniper perch.

When all the targets were down they made their back to the facility.

"This world is so beautiful. Too bad it's been contaminated by Saren and his geth," Tali remarked.

"Yes," Garrus said. "It reminds me of where I grew up on Palaven. Minus the geth, of course…and it's not as hot here."

"Probably less radiation as well," Shepard said with a laugh.

"Okay, you have me there," Garrus admitted.

"When I retire, I'd like it to be in a place like this," Shepard told them.

Garrus scoffed. "You? Retire, Shepard?" Garrus laughed. "You are likely to stay in uniform until the day your wrinkled body is laid to rest."

"You might be right. But I have a feeling, when all is said and done, that retirement will start to look pretty appealing," she stated.

"The air threat has not materialized. We may be getting some help from Shadow," Kirrahe remarked.

That you are, dear man, she thought. Once at the rear of the facility, her lootdar directed her to the left. She found a nifty stockpile and then headed to the right. There were no more enemies found guarding the rear of the facility, they had managed to take them all down from a distance. Her lootdar led her to a safe on the wall, where she was able to pick up a couple of nice mods. She slipped in through the door, trying to draw as little attention as possible.

"Shadow team must be getting close. Hold the line, men! Hold the line!" Kirrahe ordered.

She followed the walkway around until it led to several locked doors.

"Hostile contacts!" Garrus warned as enemy signatures popped up on his radar.

The signatures were coming from inside the building. She walked up to a console and asked Garrus to get the doors open.

"We've got access to base security. We should be able to cut the alarms from here. Might even be able to trigger alarms on the far side of the base. It'll clear guards out for us, but they might be too much for the salarian teams to handle," Garrus informed her.

"Just disable the alarms. We can handle any guards inside," Shepard told him.

She decided to go through the far door and work her way up. Inside the building there were crazed salarians and more geth. Some mighty large geth at that. Grim sped around the room spraying acid on optic sensors and dodging bullets.

"Salarians? Right. The captain said he had lost some men. I thought he meant they died," Garrus said.

"They were indoctrinated. What's going on in this place?" Tali asked.

"I don't know, Tali. But I intend to find out," Shepard assured her. "Grim!"

"You bellowed?" The drone said as it spun around her.

"Sorry about that. I need you to record everything from here on. I want proof of anything Saren's doing."

When the main floor was clear, she headed up the stairs. A geth destroyer was up there waiting. She hacked it and while it fought the control they filled it full of holes.

They went through the rear door, found nothing in the next room, so continued forward. Through the next door she heard a salarian yell, "Is someone out there?" She looked over the railing and saw several salarians imprisoned in cells below.

The next door opened up into a large room with two crazy salarians that had to be put down, several terminals, two doors and an elevator.

"Give a little ground, Lieutenant. We don't want them to bunker-up. Draw them out," Kirrahe informed him.

This must be the security office. But which door to explore first? She found a couple of stashes of guns, but left them. She didn't need them. She opted to take the door to the left of the elevator. She followed the steps down. It led her to the imprisoned salarians she had seen before.

"Well, you're not a geth. And you're not wearing a lab coat. I guess I'm glad to see you," the salarian said. "Lieutenant Ganto Imness of the Third Infiltration Regiment, captured during recon. I assume the fleet was called in to destroy the base?" Ganto asked.

"I'm Commander Shepard. The transmission wasn't clear. The fleet is not coming," Shepard told him.

"I see. Then you must be the infiltration team. I know the captain. He will want this facility destroyed. My team was altered, indoctrinated. The captain knew about the breeding grounds. But the indoctrination is a greater threat, and far more horrifying. I watched good people get reduced to mindless husks. There wasn't anything left. Others died during the experiments. I envy them."

"Do you know anything about the experiments they were conducting?" Shepard asked him.

"They were studying indoctrination. Symptoms, progress. Saren uses it to control his people, but I don't think he fully understands it. I don't know much else. I just saw what it did to the others. Turned them into empty husks. I can't end up like that. Please – let me out!" he implored her.

"I'm opening your cell, but then you're on your own. We are going in deeper to bring this place down. It isn't safe to stay with us," she told him.

"Don't look back and hope to outrun the blast, hmm? A better chance than I had before you showed up," Ganto replied. "Thank you."

When he ran out the door she looked into the next cell. A group of salarians were just standing there. Not doing much of anything.

"These look docile. Their minds are gone," Tali said sadly.

"Why would Saren do this? There is just no reason for what he's done," Garrus said.

"Open the doors. Give them a chance to outrun the blast." Shepard said.

"Are you sure? They could hurt themselves or attack us," Tali pointed out.

"Let them out, they won't hurt us," Shepard assured her.

The door opened and they just continued to stand there.

Shepard sighed. "It's all we can do for them."

They took the stairs back up to the security office and on to the door on the right of the elevator. She ascended the stairs and was led to another row of salarian filled cells. These were far worse off than the ones below were. Aggressive even. She finally found one with the power of speech.

"What do you want? I told you everything! I – Who are you? Alliance, right? I knew someone would come. It tried to break me, but it couldn't! I shut it out!" the salarian said frantically.

"Slow down, I need to know where you came from," Shepard said to him.

"Private Menos Avot of the Third Infiltration Regiment STG, ma'am! Captured while on reconnaissance six days ago. Glad to answer, ma'am! Never any questions from these bastards. Just whispers and poking and cutting. I'd have said anything to get out and get some payback. That's not too much to ask is it? A little payback?" Avot asked.

"What did they do to you, soldier?" she asked him.

"Experiments, but I don't know what for. The effect of incessant whispering on my shortening temper? Who knows? I just need out!" Avot said frantically.

"Something is not right here, Shepard," Tali said.

"Agreed. Setting him free could endanger the mission. I can't take that chance," Shepard said.

"Can't take that chance…no chance. I need to do what it says. I have to! Let me out!" Avot said in desperation.

The salarian grew very agitated, he ran to the front of his cell, slamming his head against the glass. "Let me out! Let me out! Let me out!"

Shepard backed up and shook her head in sorrow, they needed to move on. They took the stairs back down to the security office. Only the elevator left.

When the elevator doors opened, she saw a number of scanning devices, each containing a husk. The husks were released and an asari charged them.

"No! What's going on? Where's Saren?" a krogan asked.

Grim darted around the room spreading his tender touch to any who opposed them. One by one the asari and husks were taken down.

"No! Stay back!" Dr. Droyas said. "This is important work! This is the glorious salvation of my species!"

"This is horrendous, not glorious…nor is your species ready for it," Shepard said sadly, hitting the krogan with a neuralblast and moved on to let her team take care of him. She'd never met a krogan scientist before and she couldn't bring herself to kill him outright. He was indoctrinated, but he had been a rarity.

Outside of some more goodies, there was nothing of any importance that they could find in the lab. Except, perhaps the terminals. "Spread out and pick a terminal. Try to find the cure."

"I found something encrypted!" Garrus said.

"So did I."

"Great upload the files to your OT or an OSD if you have one. We'll hope for the best and worry about decrypting later." She too found some encrypted files. When they were finished with their uploads they went through a side door and followed the walkway; it ended at a door with two geth guarding it. It didn't end well. At least not for the geth.

Inside the office an asari popped up from beneath a table. "Don't shoot! Please, I just want to get out of here before it's too late," the asari begged.

"Commander Shepard. Spectre. Let's hear it. Who are you and what are you doing here," Shepard demanded.

"Rana Thanoptis, neurospecialist. But this job isn't worth dying over. Or worse. Sooner or later Saren will want to dissect my brain, too!" Her eyes followed Grim as though she saw him as the larger threat.

"I thought this was supposed to be a breeding facility," Shepard said.

"Not at this level. We're studying Sovereign's effect on organic minds. At least, that's what I assumed. Saren kept us in the dark as much as possible," Rana said.

"You helped him and you didn't even know why?" Garrus asked in irritation.

"I didn't have the option of negotiating. This position is a little more…permanent than I'd expected. But I can help you. This elevator behind me goes to Saren's private lab. I can get you in," Rana said. She walked over to the elevator console and programmed it. "See? Full access. Are we good? Can I go now?"

"Tell me about Sovereign's effect on organics," Shepard stated.

"It begins with a tingle at the back of the mind. A whisper that you can't quite hear. You're compelled to do things but you don't know why. You just obey. If you don't you will feel great pain until you comply. Eventually, you just stop thinking for yourself. But there is a balance between control and usefulness. The less freedom a subject maintains the less capable it becomes. I think Saren's scared it might be affecting him. My first test subject was the man I replaced. I just want to get out of here before it happens to me," Rana explained.

"I'm going to blow this place to hell and gone. If you want to make it out alive, you'd better start running," Shepard told her point blank.

"What? You can't…but I'll never…ahh!" Rana yelled as she ran for the door.

Garrus looked over at Shepard, his mandibles spreading just a bit. "You enjoyed that, Shepard."

"Maybe just a little," she admitted with a smile.

They followed the path to Saren's private lab. They entered an elevator, which took them up to the next floor. As they stepped out of it they saw a green glow.

"Shepard, look over here. It's another beacon. Like the one on Eden Prime," Garrus told her.

"Stay back both of you. Grim front and center," Shepard said as she approached it.

"Shepard - " Garrus warned her out of worry.

"We need this, Garrus. You know we do," Shepard told him. She carefully approached the beacon. It flared, latched onto her and raised her up. Pictures poured into her mind. Death…blood…the map. When it released her she fell to her knees.

"Shepard-" Garrus said as he started towards her.

"Stay back, Garrus! Let me just get my bearings," Shepard said.

Garrus waited impatiently for her to rejoin them. When she did he grabbed her chin gently and moved her face from side to side looking for…hell if he knew what he was looking for, he just felt to need to touch her...to make sure she was ok.

"I'm fine!" She told Garrus. She knew he was only worried about her. She softened her voice, "Thank you for your concern, but I really am ok," she said, laying a hand briefly on his cheek. Then she turned and walked over to a red glowing console to see what she could learn from it.

What looked to be a red glowing holo of a massive bug came into view.

"This is not good," Garus stated.

"You are not Saren," came the deep automated voice.

"What is that? Some sort of VI interface?" Garrus asked.

"Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding," the thing said.

"I don't think this is a VI," Garrus said.

"There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign!" it boasted.

"Get over yourself," Shepard told the machine. "Sovereign isn't just some Reaper ship Saren found. It's an actual Reaper!" She told her crew.

"Reaper? A label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. In the end, what they choose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are."

"The Protheans vanished 50,000 years ago. You couldn't have been there. It's impossible!" Garrus argued.

"Organic life is nothing but a genetic mutation, an accident. Your lives are measured in years and decades. You wither and die. We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything," Sovereign warned her.

"Know this. _I_ am something _you_ cannot comprehend. I am the herald of your failure…The portent of your demise. The last thing you will remember before you die is me," Shepard said coldly.

"Confidence born of ignorance. The cycle cannot be broken. Organic civilizations rise, evolve, advance. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished. The Protheans were not the first. They did not create the Citadel. They did not forge the mass relays. They merely found them, the legacy of my kind. Your civilization is based on the technology of the mass relays, our technology. By using it, your society develops along the paths we desire. You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it."

"They're harvesting us! Letting us advance to the level they need, then wiping us out!" Tali said in outrage.

"They will not wipe us out. Their days of destruction are over... You've wiped out your _last_ civilization. You _will_ fall before me. And I will smile."

"You can always try the smile now, Shepard. Maybe it will fall in love with you and leave us alone," Garrus said only half joking.

"Very funny, Garrus. Besides, if it didn't work on you, it sure won't work on that...thing." Shepard threw at him.

Garrus froze and blinked. "Well, it couldn't hurt." Damn, but he'd almost told her it had worked on him.

"My kind transcends your understanding. We are each a nation. Independent, free of all weakness. You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence. We have no beginning. We have no end. We are infinite. We are legion. The time of our return is coming. Our numbers will darken the sky of every world. You cannot escape your doom."

"That's where you're wrong, big guy. You are so filled with arrogance that you cannot even see the danger right in front of you. You're just a machine. And machines can be broken. I will end you all," Shepard warned it.

"Your words are as empty as your future. I am the vanguard of your destruction. This exchange is over," Sovereign said disdainfully.

"About damn time," Shepard said drolly.

The windows to the right of them exploded. Garrus pulled her into him and turned his back to the windows as glass sprayed everywhere with the powerful blast of energy.

"Did you have to piss it off, Shepard?" Garrus asked softly into her ear. He felt her shiver and his heart slammed in his chest. He released her and took a shaky step back.

Shepard cocked a half smile at him. "Its never-ending boasts were getting on my nerves," Shepard admitted.

"You don't say," said Garrus sarcastically.

"Commander? We got trouble," Joker broke in.

"Hit me, Joker."

"That ship, Sovereign? It's moving. I don't know what you did down there, but that thing just pulled a turn that would shear any of our ships in half. It's coming your way, and it's coming hard! You need to wrap things up in there - fast!" Joker warned.

"That console's been disabled. Orders, Shepard?" Garrus asked.

"Let's head to the breeding facility. Time to blow this place to hell."

"Right, Commander. I'll meet you there. Joker out."

They took the elevator back down. It was time to end this. As they exited the labs a geth destroyer was waiting for them on the walkway. She hit it with an amped overload. No time for war games. She heard gunfire and knew Garrus must be shooting the shit out of it for grins and giggles.

"The geth are turning from your position, Jaeto. Looks like Shadow kicked a sensitive spot! Alenko, head them off! Hold them out here!" Kirrahe ordered.

They entered another door and bore left on the catwalks. Three krogan were kind enough to give them a welcome. She was kind enough to give them a goodbye. She fired an amped neural shockwave and bypassed them, letting her team take the trash out.

"Shepard!" Garrus yelled in exasperation. He hated it when she took off alone like that.

She entered a doorway, followed the hall around a bend and ended up back out on the catwalks. The walkway was ramped in an upward direction. Because they were heading to higher ground, she expected an ambush while the enemy had the vantage point. So, she had her team progress slowly. This worked in their favor, as they made it close enough to the enemy to fire before being seen. There was a krogan on the walkway's shoulder. And three drones that had _kill-me_ stamped all over them. Grim shot off after the drones. We were anything if not obliging. They spotted the massive AA gun that protected the facility.

"That turret could punch some nasty holes in the Normandy!" Garrus said appreciatively.

They proceeded up the ramp and ascended the stairway. At the top there was a control room and an elevator. She used the control console to deactivate the AA gun and turned to enter the elevator.

"Look out! They followed us up!" Garrus yelled.

She grabbed her bats, charged them electrically, then took their heads off. Beautiful.

"That's it. We need to clear the geth and set those charges," Kirrahe said.

They hopped the elevator down and went through another door that opened up into what had to be the breeding chamber. Water, or some liquid, covered the floor. Tanks lined both sides of the room. Geth were at the far end. One of them got a shot off at her and red electricity danced along her shields. Garrus, who seemed to have designated himself her guardian angel, took down the geth that shot her. She and Tali took down the others.

As they neared the door, Kirrahe broke in again. "Charges set! Everyone bunker down. Bunker down!"

Both guns were down. The massive door lifted and they waded out into cooling water.

"All right! Nice work. That's one less thing to worry about. Commander, I'm bringing us in. I'll get as close to the site as I can," Joker said.

As the ship descended, Shepard and her team made a run for the far side to avoid getting downed by their own ship. Squashed by Normandy was not a welcome epithet on her grave marker, especially after the boasts she'd made to Sovereign.

Workers carried the bomb down the Normandy's cargo bay door and set it down next to the geothermal taps. Ashley walked over to her, then spoke to someone on her comm. "Bomb is in position, we're all set he-"

"Commander, do you read me?" Kaidan asked.

"The nuke is almost ready, Lieutenant. Get to the rendezvous point!" Shepard ordered.

"Negative, Commander. The geth have us pinned down on the AA tower. We've taken heavy casualties. We'll never make it to the rendezvous point in time," Kaiden replied.

"Joker. Get them out of there now!" Shepard demanded.

"Negative. It's too hot! You can't risk it. We'll hold them off as long as we-" Kaidan broke off.

"It's okay, Commander. I need a couple of minutes to finish arming the nuke. Go get them and meet me back here," Ashley told her.

Shepard nodded. "Grim, stay with Ashley, the rest of you…up to the AA tower. Move!"

They moved back through the massive breeding chamber door. She could hear the warble of geth before the door even opened very far. She amped her power and fired an overlaod chain to the back of the chamber as soon as the door was open enough to do so. Geth and krogan alike were electrocuted, the water became a live wire. The three of them took down the hapless idiots. When the electrical current stopped dancing along the water they made their way to the far door, stepping over the corpses that littered the ground.

They headed left after the elevator door opened. A geth ship could be spotted above.

"Reinforcements. We better hurry," Garrus said.

"Chief. We just spotted a troop ship inbound to your location," Kaidan alerted her.

"It's already here LT and it's bleeding geth all over the bomb site," Ashley said.

"Can you hold them off?" Shepard asked her.

"There's too many, I don't think we can hold them. I'm setting the bomb, now," Ashley stated.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Williams?" Shepard demanded.

"Making sure this bomb goes off. No matter what." Ashley paused a moment. "It's done, Commander. Go get the Lieutenant and get the hell out of here!"

"Belay that, Commander. We can handle ourselves. Go back and get Williams," Kaidan answered.

Shepard poured over the facts. There were 2-3 people at the bomb site. There were several more at the AA tower. The bomb was already set; there was a chance they would not make it anyway. Shepard forced the sight. Should she send someone back to help Ashley? She watched as her friends' auras turned black. No matter who she sent to aid Ashley, they would die with her. She hung her head. "Alenko, radio Joker and tell him to meet us at the AA tower."

"Yes, Commander. I…" Kaidan said solemnly.

"You_ know_ it's the right choice, LT!" Ashley admonished.

"Ashley, I'm sorry. The bomb is set, I can't change that. There are more lives at stake at the AA tower. I wanted to send someone back to you, but their auras showed they would die if I did. If there was anything I could do, I would do it. Forgive me," Shepard told her as she made her way to the AA tower.

"I understand. There is nothing to forgive, Commander. I don't regret a thing. Grim and I will hold the fort for as long as we can," Ashley told her, while firing her gun at the incoming geth.

They ran through the far door and into the elevator. They had their guns in hand and hit the ground running as soon as the door opened.

"Commander, you have to hurry! We can't hold these things off long. Watch the corners! Suppressing fire!" Kaidan yelled.

"We're already here…taking out the enemies flanking you," Shepard assured him. She released a combat drone and tossed a turret at the closest geth.

As the last enemy fell, Saren flew down on his platform. He threw a powerful biotic blast at her; she jumped and rolled to get out of its path.

When he got off the platform she stood up to meet him.

"This has been an impressive diversion, vela. My geth were convinced the salarians were the real threat…but look at you here – It appears I've underestimated you."

Garrus shot her a curious look. Why the hell was Saren continuing to call her vela?

"You do not have the right to call me that!" Shepard said coldly.

Seran laughed. "Of course, it was all for nothing. I can't let you disrupt what I have accomplished here. You can't possibly understand what's really at stake. You've seen the visions from the beacons, vela. You, of all people, should understand what the Reapers are capable of. They cannot be stopped."

"That is where you are wrong. They _will _fall before me, Saren. I _will _stop them," Shepard assured him.

"Do not mire yourself in pointless revolt. The Protheans did. Trillions died. But what if they had bowed before the invaders? Would they still exist? Is submission not preferable to extinction?" Saren asked.

"Do you honestly think they'd let us live? They have destroyed countless civilizations!" Shepard admonished.

"Now you see why I never came forward with this to the Council. We organics are driven by emotion instead of logic. We will fight even when we know we cannot win."

"Once they have used us up, the Reapers will not let us live. Or if they did, there would not be enough of our minds left to survive on our own. You, of all people, know what indoctrination does!"

"I was aware of Sovereign's…dangers. I had hoped this facility could protect me," Saren admitted.

"But it hasn't, has it? Even now you are falling victim to it," Shepard retorted.

"Sovereign needs me to find the Conduit. My mind is still my own…for now. But the transformation from ally to servant can be subtle. I will not let it happen to me."

"Why would the geth follow Sovereign?" She asked him.

"They believe Sovereign to be some kind of god. But the reaction of their deity is most telling: it is insulted. They are just tools, and no amount of belief on their part will change that."

"You were a Spectre. You were sworn to defend the galaxy. Then you broke your vow and allied with a Reaper…that wants to kill us all," Shepard said in disgust.

"Sovereign will succeed. My way is the only way any of us will survive!" Saren insisted.

"You are deluded! If we are indoctrinated, we cannot survive!" Shepard pointed out.

Saren growled. "You would undo my work. You would doom our entire civilization to complete annihilation. And for that, you must die…vela." He said and threw a stasis field at Garrus and Tali.

Looking back at her team distracted her. A blast of energy caught her unaware and sent her flying. Saren stormed over, grabbed her by the throat, drug her to the edge of the platform and dangled her over its precipice. She stared him in the eyes as he just looked at her. Time seemed to stand still. She amped her charge and shot a sonic blast at Saren, propelling him backwards. Reflexively he dropped her. Disks shot out of her boots and propelled her forward. He was already lifting off on his flying platform. She rose to give chase, but her eyes fell to her team and she hovered a moment watching him get away before lowering herself to the ground.

They were out of time. She ran towards her team, who were just being released from the stasis field. Her legs started shaking, due to shock, adrenaline, or exhaustion...she wasn't sure. Garrus picked her up and ran for the Normandy.

Kaidan sent Garrus a vehement glare, which Garrus completely ignored. That rankled Kaidan all the more. If anyone was going to carry the Commander, it should be him.

"Everybody hang on!" Joker said as they burst into FTL to avoid the blast.

"Debriefing in 30," Garrus said and strolled out of the airlock and down the stairs. Garrus noticed Kaidan was still following and rolled his eyes. "If you want to do something useful, get her some food. She's drained." Garrus pointed out.

Chapter 9

After Virmire

Kaidan nodded and headed to the mess. Angered that he had to be told to do this. Why hadn't he thought of it first? He had been too focused on his jealousy to think straight. It was a humbling thought. And Garrus had the right of it. He never would have picked up the Commander without her approval, and even if he had her approval, he was pretty drained himself and would probably have dropped them both on their asses. Garrus made the right call. He piled the tray full of food, even added several pieces of turian - whatever the hell it was and headed back to her cabin.

Normally, she would not tolerate being treated like child in front of her crew. She needed to be strong at all times in front of her crew. But, she was enjoying herself more than she wanted to admit. Garrus strode into her cabin and deposited her on the sofa and sat down next to her holding her hand. "Are you ok, Shepard?" he asked concerned.

"I'll be fine. I think it was a combination of delayed shock and adrenaline…perhaps a touch of biotic exhaustion." She blushed. "I know that doesn't make sense, since I'm not a biotic, but I…let me show you something." She touched her wrist and her OT popped into view.

Garrus looked at it stunned. She gave him a soft smile. "Since I have no implants, I designed my OT to have optical camouflage." She turned it just enough that he could see the small metal nodes on the bottom of her OT that sat against her wrist. "These nodes allow the OT to draw from my body's electrical impulses when its charge runs low. So, like a biotic I need to constantly eat to recharge myself, especially during times of heavy use."

Garrus nodded, released her hand, jumped up and started pacing the room. "I could see everything that bastard did to you and I couldn't lift a hand to help you. I don't ever want to feel that helpless again. Not where you're concerned," he said aggravated.

Shepard shook her head. "You were in stasis. There was nothing you could have done."

"I know that. That doesn't make it any easier to swallow. I couldn't protect you," he said bitterly.

She walked over to him and placed her hands on either side of his neck and sent soothing thoughts to him. "I'm a big girl, Garrus. I don't need to be protected all the time."

His arms went around her and he pulled her in for a hug. Yes…yes, you do. He lowered his forehead to hers and wished he could feel her lips on him again. He felt her hand move against the skin of his neck and fire shot through his veins. He closed his eyes trying to control the fever within him. For just a moment he thought he would lose it and crush her to him, take what he needed most. Then the chime from the door broke into his thoughts. He released her and backed away to answer the door. Kaidan, Liara, and Tali came pouring through.

She plopped herself back down on the sofa. Kaidan and Garrus sat on either side of her and Liara and Tali took the chairs. They all dug into the food and talked quietly amongst themselves.

When the plate was all but licked clean, she bid everyone farewell and hit the shower. By the time she made it to the comm room, everyone was already there.

"I…I can't believe Ash didn't make it. How could we just leave her down there?" Kaidan asked.

"If we'd have had time to save her, we would have. Retrieving her body would have killed us all. Williams knew the risks going in. She gave her life to save the rest of us."

"But why me? Why not her?" he asked.

"The bomb was already set. We may not even have had enough time to get to her and safely get away. Also, there were only a couple of people at the bomb site. There were a lot more people at the AA tower. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. I'm sorry, Kaidan"

"But if I'd done my job, you wouldn't have had to make that call," Kaidan insisted.

"You _did _do your job. It wasn't my fault, it wasn't yours. Saren is the only one to blame for what happened on Virmire," Shepard pointed out.

"Yes, ma'am. He'll get what's coming to him," Kaidan said.

Everyone agreed with that.

"Shepard? Excuse me for interrupting. But, I have an idea. I think the beacon you found in Saren's base might have filled in the missing pieces of your vision. I might be able to help you put all those pieces together," Liara said shyly.

"You want to join our minds again. Okay," Shepard said standing up. "Go ahead."

Liara grabbed both her hands. "Relax, Shepard. Embrace eternity," Liara said and her eyes turned black as she melded their minds. Shepard pushed out and merged their auras, sharing thoughts and feelings over the images that flew through her mind. Liara gasped and clung to her tighter. When it was over Shepard released their auras.

Liara opened her eyes and stood there stunned. The feelings and pictures had overwhelmed her and the loss of the connection was painful. She had never felt so connected to another being. It had been as intimate as asari bonding could be. She never knew a human could be so empathic. Shepard was better than any asari she'd met when it came down to it. They'd just bonded intimately in front of a room full of people and no one knew the depth of it but her. Liara knew that Shepard would probably never see her as anything more than a friend, but for Liara it was too late. Gone was the school girl crush, the hero worship. When they merged together so completely into one being, she fell absolutely, madly in love with Commander Shepard. And that thought terrified her. She was only 106, after all. "I…I never thought the images…the feelings would be so…intense."

"Did the vision make any sense to you?" Shepard asked.

"It's a distress call, a message sent out across the Prothean Empire. A warning against the Reapers, but the warning came too late," Liara told her.

"What about the Conduit? I saw a map of sorts. I've never seen that location or I'd be able to recall it."

Liara nodded. "There were images. Locations. Places I recognized from my research….Ilos! The Conduit is on Ilos! That is why Saren needed to find the Mu Relay! It is the only way to get to Ilos," Liara said with excitement.

"Then we need to get to Ilos!" Shepard stated matter of fact.

"Forget it. The Mu Relay's inside the Terminus Systems Alliance ships are not welcome there. Neither are Spectres," Tali reminded her.

"The Conduit's on Ilos. That's where Saren's going. I'll be waiting for him when he gets there!" Shepard responded.

"Saren will have his entire fleet orbiting Ilos. You'll never make it to the surface without reinforcements," Liara pointed out.

"We're done here. Dismissed," Shepard stated.

"Commander, there's a comm buoy nearby. I can link us in if you want to report back to the Citadel Council. You know, warn them about Sovereign," Joker said.

"They're not going to believe any of this. Not without proof. We'd just be wasting our time," Shepard told him bitterly. She'd thought about sending them Grim's footage, but decided to hold off. She wanted to see how things were going to play out. Grim's footage would really only show them Saren's study of indoctrination, the breeding grounds and a hologram, which could very well be construed as being fake. She had no way of showing them the vision in her brain, nor making them believe it. There was just not enough irrefutable proof.

"Aye, aye, Commander. Sovereign will be sitting on the Citadel's roof before those bastards listen to us." Joker agreed.

She noticed Kaidan fidgeting at his work center outside her cabin. She couldn't help but be worried about him. "I wanted to see how you were dealing with Ash's death."

"I'm dealing, ma'am," he said. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you deal with the losses on Elysium?"

"It was my job to get everyone out safe. I failed. I vowed not to let it happen again. Same here. I'll remember her, and I'll do better for her," Shepard admitted.

"I guess that's all we can do," Kaidan agreed solemnly.

"She died a hero so that we could take Seran down," Shepard reminded him.

"You're right. We're so close now. When we deliver everything, the Council will have to mobilize around us. And you've been at the forefront, even back in the Blitz. You'll probably get another Star of Terra out of this…I don't think I've ever met a woman like you," Kaidan said in awe.

"And you'll never meet another. I'm…different. I think they broke the mold when they made me. Not sure the galaxy could handle two of me anyway," Shepard said with a wry laugh. "What do you think about what happened on Virmire?"

"Hell, I don't know. We're fighting giant machines from outside the galaxy. Should I be afraid of them? Or in awe of them? Anything so old, so intelligent…" he said.

"We gave the turians a boot in the ass…we'll give them one too," Shepard assured him.

"I think we're going to need a bigger boot," Kaidan responded.

Shepard laughed her way all the way down to the cargo hold. She wanted to check on Wrex and their salarian guests.

She wanted to get the talk with Wrex out of the way first.

"Commander. Things got heated back on Virmire…You did what you had to. I respect your choice," Wrex told her.

"I appreciate what you did, Wrex. I won't forget it."

"Just make sure it was worth it," Wrex grumbled. "Saren has to pay for what he's done."

"He will, Wrex. We will hunt him down and one way of another he _will_ pay for what he's done."

"I like the sound of that!" Wrex growled.

She nodded and walked over to their salarian guests.

"It was an honor working with you, Commander Shepard. Despite the losses, our mission was a success," Kirrahe told her. "My superiors will duly honor Chief Williams for her actions. Her sacrifice has earned humanity a great deal of respect from my people."

"Ash was a hell of a soldier. She knew what the risks were, but she did what she had to," Shepard said proudly.

"Of course. A grim reality that every soldier must accept. Rest assured, Commander, my men and I will not forget what you have accomplished here. We will leave your ship as soon as you reach your next destination. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to work together again someday," Kirrahe told her.

"I hope so, Kirrahe. It's been an honor," Shepard said with a smile and shook his hand.

Kirrahe's mouth dropped open in shock. Wrex and Garrus broke out in a chorus of guffaws. They'd been waiting for that to happen. Priceless.

She shot Wrex and Garrus a sour look. Not sure why they were laughing so hard. She returned her attention to Rentola, glad to see he was ok too.

"You have my gratitude, Commander. Most people would have left our team behind," Rentola commended her.

"I'm just glad I could be there for you," She smiled and shook his hand too.

Rentola's mouth gaped and he took a shaky step backwards. A new chorus of laughter broke out, this time Kirrahe joined in.

She spun around. She looked down to make sure she her pants were still up where they were supposed to me. If her pants weren't at her ankles, then what the hell was the joke? "What's so funny?" she asked the room in general. "Maybe I want in on the joke," she complained.

The laughter broke out again, this time harder.

"The joke is on us, Shepard. Not you. We were laughing at ourselves," Garrus assured her.

She gave him a sour glare and stomped into the elevator.

"Someone's in the dog house again!" Wrex said with glee, and started laughing his ass off.

Garrus shot him an icy glare and took off after Shepard. He could still hear Wrex laughing as the elevator began to rise.

Kirrahe looked over at Wrex. "They don't know, do they?" he asked.

Wrex shook his head. "Not even a clue. Do you want in on the wager?"

Kirrahe looked at Rentola. They both nodded. And two more were added to the wager pool.

Garrus stopped by her cabin, she wasn't there. His next stop was the Starboard Lounge, but again she wasn't there. His last stop was the fitness room. She was busy working the uneven bars. Garrus was in awe. The way she flowed around the bars, it was almost sensual. When she pointed her toes and spread her legs he about damn near swallowed his tongue. She did a few more loops and twists before a final flip off the bar. She landed in front of him.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked as she breezed around him and grabbed her towel. She flung her towel around her neck and dabbed her hair line. She picked up her water, tilted her head back and began to drink. Trying to pretend he wasn't there.

Garrus shivered. He could feel the cold coming off her words. I guess that would mean yes, he thought, answering his own question. "I wanted to see if you were still upset with me." He watched her throat muscled move as she swallowed water. Damn, he was in bad shape if he couldn't even watch her drink water without it turning him on.

She put her water down, a little hard. "At being made the butt of a joke that no one cared to share with me? Why would that upset me in the slightest? Not too many people like being laughed at Garrus. Laughed with, yes…laughed at, not so much. It hurt."

Ouch. Prickly. He grabbed the ends of her towel in one hand and pulled her to the left. He backed her up against the wall and put hands to either side of her caging her in. He put one leg forward to keep her from sliding out. He knew she was allowing herself to be trapped by him. "We were not laughing at you. Do you honestly think I would do something to hurt you? Do you think I'd let someone else? You should know me better than that," he said, more than a little hurt himself.

She heard the pain in his voice and felt bad about her suppositions. She removed his visor and laid on the table to the right of her. She brought her hands up and gently stroked his brow plates, drew her fingers down his mandibles. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Then what were you laughing at?"

He closed his eyes and shivered at the sensation. He felt her fingers trailing down both sided of his neck. He knew she was trying to sooth him, but it was having a very opposite effect. Fire laced through his veins and his body swayed towards her. He felt the heat of her core on his thigh. He had forgotten that he'd put his knee out to prevent her from getting away. His eyes popped open and burned into hers until her words sank into his brain. "We really were just laughing at each other," he said thickly.

She could feel the truth of his words through her touch. She was also very aware of his thigh between her legs and the havoc it was creating with her senses. It was taking all of her control to not hump his leg like a dog in heat. She could only imagine the look on his face if she were to do such a thing. That brought a smile to her face.

Garrus…well, Garrus swallowed his tongue. He backed away as a coughing fit hit him.

Shepard grabbed the front of his carapace to keep him from getting away. She placed her other hand on the side of his neck and sent calming, soothing waves at him. Her hand felt a little warm, but she kept it up until his coughing subsided. Then she let him go.

"Thank you. I'm…hmmm…not sure what happened there."

"No biggie, it happens to us all," she assured him. "You want to dance?"

"If that means I can throw you on your ass, you bet."

They had gone a few rounds when Kaiden walked in. He saw them sparring, pulled his shirt out of his pants. Since his pants were form fitting, nothing would be hidden and if he was sparring with Shepard, he needed every bit of coverage his shirt could give him. Kaidan spent a couple of minute stretching and then jumped into the fray.

Whoever lost the round had to sit it out and play the winner of the next round. After several rounds she noticed the boys tended to play a little rougher with each other than they did with her. "Are you two holding out on me?"

Kaidan swung his head around to look at her. Big mistake. Garrus took advantage plowed into him and flipped him head over ass and landed on top of him…hard, knocking the breath out of him. Garrus gave him a hand up as he wheezed, trying to draw air into his lungs. He then gave Kaidan a thwack on his back, it sent him forward a few paces, but opened up his airways.

"Don't ever let yourself get distracted. Your enemies will use it against you every time," Garrus warned.

"Duly noted," Kaidan said.

"Sorry about that, Kaidan. But I noticed you two spar harder with each other than you do with me. I don't want you holding back just because I'm a woman."

Kaidan flushed. "No, ma'am…it has nothing to do with that."

"He's right, Shepard. Kaidan and I have a few – er…differences. We probably get a little…carried away during the matches."

"Just see that you work it out there and that it doesn't carry over into the field," she said giving them each a stern look.

"Aye, aye, ma'am…in the field we've got each other's backs," Kaidan assured her.

Garrus nodded his agreement.

"Good to hear." She picked up her towel, twirled it and thwacked them both in the ass. "Hit the showers boys, we have a meeting with Ilos." When she saw their eyes pop open in shock she shot them the biggest smile she could muster and burst out laughing as she headed out the door. Priceless.

The two men stared after her. Gasped and then sucked in huge mouthfuls of air. They looked at each other and laughed. They would surely be glaring at each other later…but right now they were in the same boat, riding out the tidal wave that was Shepard.

Garrus went and retrieved his visor and left the fitness room to Kaidan.

Shepard stripped off her workout clothing and tossed it down the chute. She put a green jade 4-leaf clover in her navel and headed to the shower. She picked up her waterproof b.o.b. that she kept near the shower and spent a little time with it, wishing it were Garrus, but needing the release nonetheless. She hit the quick-dry, slipped into another cammo suit and headed to the CIC.

Clean, refreshed, relaxed and ready to go. She stepped up to the galaxy map.

"I forwarded the mission update to the Citadel, Commander. We've got confirmation on those reinforcements. Ambassador Udina wants us to report back to the Citadel. The Council is massing a joint-species fleet to deal with Saren and his geth," Joker informed her.

"Took them long enough. Off to the Citadel, Joker. I want the Normandy at the head of that fleet!" Shepard turned and headed back to her cabin.

Garrus was already waiting for her in her cabin. "I hear we're headed to the Citadel. That the Council is finally ready to back us up."

Shepard fell onto the sofa, stretched out and put her head in his lap. "I don't know Garrus. That's the word. But it's just hard for me to believe they will actually pull through." She gave a small yawn and fell asleep.

Garrus peeled off his thin glove and ran his talons through her hair carefully. He loved the feel of her silky hair upon his skin. He sighed, put his glove back on, and slipped out from beneath her. He picked her up, carried her to bed and lay down beside her. He pulled her against him and joined her for a brief nap.

"Commander, ETA 17 minutes out," Joker informed her.

"Thank you, Joker," she mumbled.

Joker chuckled. "Have a nice nap, Commander?"

"Could have used a longer one," she groused.

Joker laughed some more and cut the line.

She rolled over in Garrus' arms and rested her forehead against his. "Time to get up. We've got to face the Council. I'm taking you with."

They rolled out of bed. Garrus hit his radar and picked up the life sign blip on his radar. "Kaidan's out there."

Shepard shook her head and smiled. She commed Joker. "Joker, have Kaidan meet me at the airlock in 10."

"Right away, Commander," Joker responded.

"You are devious! Is it any wonder that I – er…think you're the greatest?" Garrus asked.

Garrus cleared his throat and turned his head as she changed out of her cammos and into her bodysuit. She slid on her armor and was ready to go.

When Kaidan's blip disappeared Garrus slipped out of her cabin and ran for the elevator. He only had a few minutes left to suit up and get to the airlock.

They threaded their way through the tower and across the platform to face the Council.

"Good job, Shepard. Thanks to you, the Council's finally taking real action against Saren!" Udina said.

"The ambassador is correct. If Saren is foolish enough to attack the Citadel –as you believe – we will be ready for him," Tevos said.

"Patrols are stationed at every mass relay linking Citadel space to the Terminus Systems," Sparatus informed her.

"You think a blockade's going to stop him? He's on Ilos looking for the Conduit right now! What are you doing about that?" Shepard asked with irritation.

"Ilos is accessible through the Mu Relay, deep inside the Terminus Systems, Commander. If we send a fleet in there, the only possible outcome is full-scale war" Valern pointed out.

"Now is the time for discretion, Commander. Saren's greatest weapon was secrecy. Exposed, he is no longer a threat. This is over," Udina said with certainty.

"One ship going into the Terminus Systems won't start a war," Shepard pointed out.

"You detonated a nuclear device on Virmire. Things seem to explode around you Shepard!" Sparatus said coldly.

"Your style served you well in the Traverse, Commander. We recognize that. But Ilos requires a deft touch. We have the situation under control," Tevos assured her.

"If Saren finds the Conduit, we're all screwed! We have to go to Ilos!" Shepard stated firmly.

"Ambassador Udina, I get the sense Commander Shepard isn't willing to let this go," Sparatus stated.

"There are serious political implications here, Shepard. Humanity's made great gains thanks to you. But now you're becoming more trouble than you're worth."

"You bastard! You're selling us out!" Kaidan said bitterly.

"It's just politics, Commander. You've done your job, now let me do mine. We've locked all of the Normandy's systems. Until further notice, you're grounded," Udina said.

"More trouble than I'm worth? I'm worth 10 of you!-" Shepard began.

"I'd say 100, Commander," Kaidan and Garrus interrupted at the same time. They smiled and high fived…or perhaps high threed in Garrus' case.

"I will remember this, Udina. You will rue this day, mark my words. Nobody stabs me in the back, Udina. Nobody," Shepard said with a cold smile.

"I think it's time for you and your team to leave, Commander. This no longer concerns you. The Council can handle this. With my help, of course," Udina stated snidely.

She made her way back to the Normandy, threw off her armor, pulled on a workout suit and headed to the fitness room. She tackled a dummy with a vengeance.

That is where Garrus found her. "Are you trying to kill it, Shepard?" he asked gently.

She turned around and slid down onto the floor, resting her back against the dummy. "I was pretending it was Udina," she admitted.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked her.

"No, in the mood I'm in I'd probably hurt you," she said truthfully.

"I think I can handle it, Shepard."

"Garrus, in the best of times I'm too much woman for you to handle…and these are not the best of times," she said with a grin.

"Ooh…you so did not just say that. I can handle _anything _you can dish out," he told her.

"Really? We'll just have to test that theory one of these days. I bet I could drop you to your knees," she said smugly.

"I know you could and I'm sure we'd both enjoy every minute of it," he said softly. He shook his head. This conversation was going in a direction he hadn't intended.

"Cagey, aren't you?" She laughed.

"You know I am…About the Council. I can't believe they wouldn't listen to us. Can the decision be appealed?" he asked.

"I pushed them as far as I could, they won't budge."

"So that's it? We just sit here? We let them win and damn us all?" he asked surprised.

"We lost the battle, not the war. I'll figure something out."

"You know I'm here for you in _any_ way that you need, right?" he asked her softly.

"_Any_ way, Garrus?"

"Whatever you need, just name it."

Shepard chuckled. "Be careful what you say, big guy. I may just need more than you are capable of giving me."

Garrus scoffed at her. "I am more than capable of taking care of your needs." Her smile stunned him. What did he say to – Spirits! His mandibles dropped.

Shepard started laughing. "Promises…promises, big guy…I'm glad you're here with me Garrus. You always make me feel better. I don't know what I'd do without you."

And I you, he thought. "You looked like you were ready to ream the Council. Much as they deserve it, it's probably better not to burn a bridge you may need to cross later." He shook his head. "That left a bad taste. I think I just threw up in my mouth."

"Tell me about it… I think we need to take a little initiative," she said with a wicked grin.

"That's my girl. That's why I lo—like you so much." He said with a nervous chuckle. He held out his hand and helped her up and into his arms. He put his forehead to hers. "We will do this, Shepard."

"Damn straight we will," she said. "Garrus?" she asked softly.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Would it offend you if I asked you for a good luck kiss…I mean, I just feel - "

Garrus lowered his mouth to hers. She rested one hand on the back of his head, running her fingers along the skin between his plates, and the other hand rested on his cheek. She moved her soft lips against his, they lingered a moment. Then she put her forehead to his. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You don't ever have to thank me for that, Shepard," he said thickly, trying to calm his racing heart. "There can never be too much good luck." His mandibles spread in a smile.

She couldn't keep playing this game. She had to tell him how she felt. "Garrus? I think I need to tell you something. I - "

"Sorry to interrupt, Commander. Got a message from Captain Anderson."

"What did he say?" she asked.

"Only said to meet him at the club in the wards. Flux."

"Thanks, Joker."

"Do you want to go with me?" she asked him.

"Do you even need to ask?" he inquired incredulously.

"Joker. Tell Wrex to gear up and meet us in the airlock in 15."

"Aye, aye, Commander."

"Time to fly. I've got to shower and gear up…see you in a few," she said and breezed out the door.

They met up at the airlock and headed out onto the Citadel to meet up with David.

"It must be pretty hard for you Garrus to know that all this death and destruction is caused by a turian Spectre," Wrex said trying to push Garrus' buttons.

"Saren is either a traitor or a madman; either way bringing him down will restore the good name of turians everywhere," Garrus stated.

"Good. Cause I was losing sleep about people not loving the turians," Wrex grumbled.

On the way to Flux an anti-alien Terra Firma Party member stopped her asking for her support. Was he kidding? Did he not see who she was traveling with? A turian? A krogan? She told him he was entitled to his opinion, but she believed we needed to work peacefully with other races. She made her goodbyes and left before she could say something rude.

She made her way up the stairs to Flux and another idiot stoped her wanting her to purchase mental stims for him so he could negotiate against the salarians rather than leaving the matter to his alien-appeasing assistant. Some days she just wanted to shoot everyone she saw. She went over to the med-clinic and purchased a depressant. That damn thing must kick in fast, for he knew what she had done nearly immediately. He called her a bastard and alien loving scum…but, she'd been called worse...though never a bastard...bitch? Yes. Bastard? No.

Wrex and Garrus laughed over her deviousness. "Remind me to stay on your good side, Shepard," Garrus told her.

As they walked into Flux, she spotted David sitting a one of the tables.

"I'm glad you came, child. I heard what happened," Anderson said regretfully.

"They pulled me off the mission. Just like when they forced you to give up the Normandy," she admitted.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to get word to you, but there was no way to get a message to you before you docked," Anderson replied. "I know you're pissed off right now, but you can't give up. They all think this is over, but we both know it's not. You have to go to Ilos. You have to stop Saren from using the Conduit."

"There's only one ship that can get me into the Terminus Systems undetected, and she's grounded," Shepard pointed out."I thought about upgrading the Hawk before I left, but in the end...damn, it's biting me in the ass now. I knew better, why didn't I listen to myself?"

"No time to worry about that now. Citadel control's locked out all the Normandy's systems. But if we override the ambassador's orders we can get them to bring the Normandy back on-line. You can be in the Terminus Systems before anyone even knows you're gone," Anderson explained.

"No, David. That doesn't work. If we steal the Normandy, you're the one left holding the bag."

"And if Saren finds the Conduit, life as we know it is over. The Reapers will destroy us," he reminded her. "You're the only one who can stop him, child. So I'll do whatever it takes to get you on the Normandy and off this station."

"Stealing the Normandy is mutiny. I won't force my crew to go along with it."

"You wouldn't have to force us, Shepard. We're behind you every step of the way…we always have been," Garrus told her. And I always will be…

"I can unlock the Normandy from one of the consoles in the Citadel control center. You'll have a few minutes before anyone realizes what's happened."

"That's a restricted area patrolled by armed guards," Garrus pointed out.

Shepard shook her head. "No, David. You'll get yourself killed. There must be another way."

Anderson thought for a moment. "Ambassador Udina issued the lockdown order. If I can hack into the computer in his office, maybe I can override it."

"The ambassador won't forgive this, Captain. You'll be charged with treason, a capital offense," Garrus pointed out the obvious flaw.

"We don't have a lot of options here," Anderson said in exasperation.

"I'm leaning towards Udina…but it's your call, David."

"I'll break into the ambassador's office. He made this personal."

Shepard walked around the table and gave David a hug. "You better keep yourself safe, David. I love you and couldn't bare it if anything happened to you."

"I love you too, child. And what you are about to do is far more dangerous than anything I will do. Stay safe and make me proud," Anderson told her as he hugged her back.

"Don't I always, dad?" she asked with a wink.

"Make me proud? Absolutely. Stay safe? Probably not," he said giving her a knowing look.

"I'll come back in one piece. I promise." She gave him a blinding smile.

David sat stunned for a moment. Then shook his head. "You ready to get the hell off this station?"

"I was born ready."

I'll take care of the lockdown. You get down to the Normandy and tell Joker to stand by," Anderson instructed her.

They practically flew to the Normandy. The guard was no longer there. That was a good start. She ran to the cockpit and stood waiting for the red light to flash green. She hopped on the intercom. "We are about to commit an act of treason against the Council and the Alliance. We are stealing the Normandy. Everyone who does not wish to accompany us needs to disembark now. Do not collect your personal belongings. They will be returned to you later. Leave now! Shepard out."

Time seemed to trickle by. She and Joker looked at each other worried. What if something had happened to David? Neither one gave voice to their concerns. Fearing that to speak it would ensure it. Finally, the light turned green and they both gave a sigh of relief.

"Let's go. Get us the hell out of here, Joker. Now!"

"Already gone, Commander," he said with a smile.

Chapter 10

The Night before Ilos

Shepard paced the small confines of her cabin, filled with urgency, dread, frustration, guilt, and many more emotions she'd rather not look to closely at. They were heading to Ilos tomorrow. An impossible feat she had to accomplish and it had set her on edge. Then Kaidan, whom she'd been innocently flirting with on and off for some time, had come by her cabin professing love and wanting to take their relationship to a deeper level.

She liked him well enough, and might have even considered the prospect herself, if another hadn't caught her eye. She was drawn in a different direction…a direction that was not reciprocated. A direction that had no future; yet, she was helpless against the pull and had been from the moment she met him.

Flirting with Kaidan had at first been due to honest interest but eventually become more of a fun, harmless way to relieve tension. Or so she thought. She had not taken into account his growing feelings; hadn't even noticed things had changed between them. His visit tonight had caught her off guard. She had been sorting through the ramifications of getting to Ilos and her growing attraction to a man who had her firmly placed in the _friend zone_. When she finally understood just what Kaidan had come for, she had to turn him away. She could see the confusion and hurt that he was trying to hide under a veneer of gentlemanly manners as he left her cabin. Guilt had been added to her emotional upheaval.

Guilt. Great. That was all she needed. It was her fault, she knew that, but it only made the pill harder to swallow. She had to relax before she did something she would regret. She hung her head wearily and headed to the bathroom for a hot, steamy shower. Wishing, not for the first time, they had installed a bathtub instead.

She toweled off and stepped into a black silk and lace teddy and lace French cut panties that only covered half of her bottom. She may have to don the commander mask and man up all day, but the nights belonged to her, at least the nights she had to herself…she could let her hair down and revel in her femininity. It was her guilty secret. A secret she kept close to her heart. One of _many_ secrets kept close to her heart.

She dimmed the lighting, grabbed a bottle of wine, a glass, and her e-pad and curled up on the sofa for a bit of light reading. Eventually, she realized she'd read the same paragraph 8 times in a row and still didn't know what it said. She tossed the pad down, absently drank wine and began to pace her cabin again. She wasn't tired and couldn't sleep. She missed Garrus. Kaidan had been staying up later, so Garrus hadn't been able to come by as often lately. She was restless, anxious, and romantically frustrated. This was silly. She was a grown woman; a confident woman. She tossed on the black silk and lace matching wrapper, belted it at the waist (not even realizing it displayed more than it covered), donned some black slippers and headed out the door. She was going to do it. Yes, she was. She was going to head down to the crew quarters off the cargo bay, wake his turian ass up, and she was going to tell Garrus Vakarian just how she felt about him. Maybe he would shoot her down. Maybe he didn't see her in the same light, but didn't she owe it herself…to them both…to see if there might be something more?

As she made her way to the lift, the floor swayed beneath her feet. Bloody wine. She didn't encounter any other night owls prowling the deck. She was relieved. She wasn't in the mood for small talk. She entered the lift and hit the down button. The elevator seemed to take forever to reach the lower deck. As it descended she became more and more nervous. No, she thought, if he was asleep she wouldn't disturb him. Tomorrow was just too damned important. No….no…no…tonight was all wrong. What was she thinking? Could her timing be any worse? If they survived Ilos she would talk to him.

The elevator came to an abrupt stop. She placed her hand on the door and rested her head against it. So close. So far away. She dropped her hand, backed away and hit the up button. The door slid down as it opened and in walked the man she'd be obsessing over. He had on a dark green and tan outfit. His waist was so slender. What would it be like to wrap her legs around it? Her face flamed at where her thoughts were going.

As he entered the lift he turned to hit the up button and realized he was not alone. He hadn't expected anyone else to be up at this hour…and spirits…his mouth dropped open in surprise, mandibles flaring. There stood his Shepard in the smallest most revealing black outfit he'd ever seen. He had seen her in her under things a time or two…but this was all lace…a very see through lace. So much soft, white, human skin was exposed. If the lace shifted just a little bit he suspected he just might blush as hard as she was right now. By the looks of her she must not have expected to run into anyone either.

"Shepard, I…," he cleared his throat…,"I wasn't expecting to see you…er, anybody. I couldn't sleep. I just…um…," he cleared his throat again…, "finished up some last minute calibrations on the mako. I was …ah…hmm…just heading to the lounge to…a…relax before heading to…er…bed," he said, his voice cracking over the last word. His eyes wandered all around the elevator, looking everywhere except where he wanted to look the most. He tried so hard to ignore what she was wearing, but spirits…he wasn't dead.

He'd been drawn to this fiery woman since he'd first seen her walking towards him outside the council chambers. He'd been arguing with Executor Pallin and getting nowhere. He had recognized her right away. She was famous; he knew he had been suffering from a bit of hero worship back then. But, who could blame him? This was _the_ Commander Shepard. He knew even then that it went beyond hero worship, though he hadn't admitted it to himself until sometime later. The fact that he was drawn to her had disturbed him for a long time. He was a turian soldier, she was a human and his commander. End of story.

As the months had worn on, under her tutelage, hero worship became a great respect. She had helped him grow…to become more than he was, more than he thought he could ever be. She had become a central fixture in his life. A life he couldn't comprehend without her. He found himself growing more and more protective of her and he knew she was becoming more and more dependent on him. He went with her on nearly every mission… on the rare ones where he was left behind he knew he acted crazy, pacing and snarling at anyone who ventured by; the crew fastidiously avoided him at those times, so much so he would have to hunt someone down to vent on them…and spirits forbid if she came back with so much as a scratch.

Shepard and he were a team…a well oiled machine…moving together as one. They knew what the other would do before it was done and react accordingly. What they had was special. An unbreakable bond forged in blood and sweat, in victory and fear, in close calls and desperate measures. No matter the mission, the only goal he had was to keep her safe. Nothing else mattered. Nobody else could protect her like he could. Nobody ever would. And, nobody better EVER come between them.

He knew he loved her just as he knew he shouldn't; his head and heart constantly warring over the right and wrong of it all. Failed turian soldier, failed c-sec officer…what right did he have to even think of this woman…This very _human_ woman, who had never even given him the barest hint that she saw him as a man. And, how could she? He was well aware his race was not considered attractive by a majority of the other races. But, that was ok… it was better this way. She was his commander…he was turian…he would respect what that meant, it was how all turians are trained…he sighed…at times like this he wished he was a better turian.

"Garrus," she said breathlessly. Was it hot in here? The elevator had never seemed so small before. "I'm glad you're awake." What she said was, "I was hoping someone was," what she really meant was: I was hoping _you_ were. "I was so edgy, I couldn't go to sleep. I miss our evenings together. Mind if I join you for a night cap in the lounge before I turn in? Of course, if you prefer to be alone I understand."

"No, Shepard, I'd be..ah..hmm…grateful for the company." As they rode in silence his eyes kept traveling to the barely clad woman at his side. For every inch exposed he wanted to see another. He had never seen a naked human woman…never wanted to…well , except for this woman next to him, truth be told…and _that_ he certainly never expected to happen. He knew his place. This would certainly be a test of his turian fortitude, he mused as he followed a half naked Shepard out of the elevator.

As they entered the starboard lounge, he walked over to the bar and poured himself a turian brandy and her some asari rosewine. he knew she preferred the honeymead, but there was none to be had. Likely, she reallocated all the bottles to her cabin. His mandibles flared at the thought. He handed her the glass and settled on the sofa facing the large window, resting his arm on the sofa's arm, gently twirling the dark amber liquid. She settled in against his side, just like old times, only there was no book or vid to occupy them…just the dark of space and the randomly winking stars. He put his other arm around her and she snuggled in. If she had a clue what this did to him she'd probably freak.

She was staring raptly out the window, sipping her wine, so he took a moment to look at her while she was occupied. Her long legs, which she had tucked in were exposed nearly to the hip. The slim fabric had slid up when she laid against him. The deep lacey "v" of the outfit went to her navel. But it had shifted and her breast lay exposed through the lace, its peak tight and hard. He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned his head forward so that he too was looking at the stars. "So beautiful," he said thickly, though he wasn't thinking of stars at all.

"Yes," she sighed. "And so very peaceful. I wish it could be like this always…with you…" Her words fading into silence…followed by a light snore…

Garrus closed his eyes and his mandibles spread in a smile. Shepard could fall asleep anywhere. He looked down at the woman that he loved and a sense of peace filled him. "So do I," he whispered. He placed his empty brandy glass on the table, gently removed her glass from her hand and placed it next to his. He gathered her up in his arms, adjusting her slightly to the side so his carapace didn't dig into her, held her closely to his heart and headed for her cabin.

He had tucked her in countless times. This time shouldn't be different, but it was. She was all but naked in his arms. He had seen her breast, yearned to touch it, to feel its softness. His desire for this woman right now overwhelmed him, nearly brought him to his knees.

He entered her cabin, laid her gently on the bed and pulled the covers up to her waist. He noticed the "v" had parted even further, completely baring one breast to his hungry gaze. He had to touch her; just once. He removed his thin glove, his taloned fingers hovering just over the heat of her breast. He slowly touched the white globe, feeling its softness, running his thumb pad gently over its peak and he watched in wonder as it hardened and puckered. She moaned and moved into his hand. He closed his eyes tightly, shaking with need, fighting the urge to wake her up and make love to her. Every part of him screamed to take her. To make her his. His eyes shifted focus, his control slipped, he could feel something pushing to get out and it turned him cold with fear. He pulled the covers up to her chin and slipped out of her room at a near run. Nobody would hurt his Shepard…not even him.


	2. OneTurianWoman Ch10-19 Ilos-Omega

Garrus-femShep

Chapter 11

Ilos

The dawning of a new day brought no relief to Garrus. What had happened and what had nearly happened last night was unforgivable. He was a turian, she his commander... and she was the only true friend he had in this screwed up galaxy. She had put her faith and trust in him and he had failed her on the deepest level. His only saving grace is that she wouldn't know - though that, too, made him feel dirty. He didn't know what came over him last night, but he would make damned sure it didn't happen again. He was turian. Period. He would control it…even if he had to shove a stick so far up his ass that he could use it for a toothpick.

He stopped pacing the cargo bay and returned to work on the mako. It would have to be in top shape for their mission today.

Shepard snuggled under the warm blankets and buried her head. She did not want to get out of bed. To do so meant the day would actually begin…and today was going to be a doozy. She sighed wearily, sat up, tossed the covers off and gingerly touched her feet to the warmed floor. Bliss…Being the CO did have some benefits… climate-controlled flooring was a godsend.

She looked down at her black lacy teddy. Oh stars had she actually prowled the decks last night dressed like this? Garrus! Bloody hell…she had been obsessing over him last night. Did she do anything? Did she embarrass both of them? Pictures…disjointed…blurry flooded her mind. She saw his face…she saw stars…she saw herself looking up at him at an odd angle…was he carrying her? That must be how she got to bed. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd put her to bed…though never clothed like this…what must he think of her? Why couldn't the pictures ever be more coherent? It was like looking at bits and pieces of somebody else's memories, even if they were hers. Of course, being drunk off her ass probably hadn't helped. She was, however, very thankful she never suffered from hangovers.

She really had not wanted to wake up. She'd been dreaming of her and Garrus together…making love. Unfortunately, the dream had been no more coherent than the pictures of last night. She didn't know what a turian looked like naked…did they have an external penis similar to that of a human? Did they have a cloaca and internal hemipenes that only came out for breeding? Or…God forbid… just a vent that released sperm? Perhaps she should research turian anatomy on the extranet…a far sight less embarrassing than asking Garrus...she could almost see his mandibles dropping, his mouth gaping open. She wondered if turians could blush. Probably not…she sighed…should she ask him? More importantly…could she ask him? She'd probably be too mortified to enjoy the hilarity of the moment. Either way, at least if…when…she dreamed of him again the blanks could be filled in.

She slipped out of her teddy and headed for the shower…let the day begin.

She donned her commander mask with her armor and headed for the Cargo Bay. She hoped she could take Tali and Garrus on this mission…Tali was the best at handling geth…but she was squishy. She always felt guilty when she brought her along. A small suit rupture and…she shook her head. Best course of action was always to let them show her who to take. Relying on judgment alone usually led to disaster… Not that disaster didn't happen either way. The best squaddies for a particular mission didn't mean they would find success, it just meant they were more likely to.

As she walked into the cargo bay her team lined up, as was custom, to find out who would be going with her. She looked over each member of her team, their auras shining like a rainbow. She glanced at Kaidan and dismissed him right away, his normal bright blue aura was dull – one look into his eyes and she knew he was still hurt over having his romantic overtures dismissed last night. She knew it had taken a lot for him to come to her, to overcome his hang-ups about her being his commander. She wished she could feel for him what he felt for her; it would make things so much simpler.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to Garrus. His blue-green aura shined like a beacon. The blues and greens rolling together, like a beautiful sea. Wrex's orange-reddish aura was glowing like the fire it resembled. That settled things. They would be her team. Auras didn't lie.

"Wrex, Garrus…gear up, we move out in 10." After dismissing the team she headed over to where Garrus was getting ready.

"I wanted to thank you for…everything last night. You are always there for me. I appreciate it." She nodded at him, keeping firm hold on her commander mask.

"That's what I'm here for, Shepard…personal body guard and valet at your service." He saw her mask start to slip and he knew his words must have hurt her. He was trying to play it cool, trying not to see her naked in his arms… trying to see her as Commander Shepard, best friend and confidant. But he also knew she needed his understanding right now. "Look, Shepard, you don't have to thank me for that. Not ever. I will always be there for you when you need me. I will always look out for you. You know that. Now, let's go kick some geth ass."

He tamped down on the growing need within him as he watched her walk away. He didn't like this out of control feeling, the desperation that clawed at him. It was like a beast wanting to rip its way out of him…he wasn't too sure how long he would be able to hold the beast at bay, and that worry settled in his gut like a cold stone. He was terrified. It was the one thing in his life he couldn't share with her, because she was the focus of it. He would control it. He had to. The alternative was unthinkable.

Relief flooded her when they'd made the impossible precision drop without incident. She owed joker a bottle of Thessia Red for that drop.

They hopped out of the mako in time to see Saren and his geth followers disappear behind the doors in front of them. Shit! They'd have to find another way in.

She looked at both her team mates, who were looking at her expectantly, waiting to find out who would receive her kiss. Occasionally, the crew ribbed her about it, affectionately calling her Captain Kiss. It sounded like the title of a cheesy romance novel, but she accepted it good naturedly and was known to joke about it herself. Captain Kiss indeed…you ain't got nothing on me Kirk...she chided herself.

She turned her attention to her squaddies. Both of their auras burned bright, but Garrus' shone brighter. She knew he should be who she sought for the good luck kiss, but she also knew she couldn't do it. Not after last night, not after the dream. Commander mask or not, she wasn't too sure she could stop with just a peck. She turned and headed for Wrex. Everything inside her screamed at the wrongness. She was disrespecting her system and she hoped there would be no blowback.

Wrex grabbed her up in his arms. "Come to papa," he said and made a big show of the little kiss she'd placed on his jutting lower lip.

"Wrex, you're incorrigible!" she admonished. "Now put me down."

Wrex chuckled and hugged her tighter. He could see the anger flash in the turian's eyes and was wondering just how far he could push his friend. He released Shepard when Garrus went for his gun. Interesting, Wrex thought to himself. Very interesting indeed.

Wrex walked over to Garrus and cuffed him on the side of the arm. "Better luck next time, Garrus. She just needed some krogan superiority today." He roared out a laugh and followed the commander. A glaring Garrus bringing up the rear.

Resistance had been very light and her internal lootdar was going crazy and she was picking up all kinds of goodies. Sometimes she liked being herself…sometimes not so much. This was one of those "like" times. She loved her treasure hunts…or treasure finds would be more accurate. There was really little to no hunting involved. The team was always surprised by her uncanny ability to root out credits and loot…it was like they jumped out at her screaming take me I'm yours, which wasn't so very far from the truth.

Plants were growing in a tangle covering everything. Effectively hiding the geth and hampering their progress. Grotesque statues, pillars, and half-crumbled walls were everywhere. The place might have been nice once, barring those freaky statues… but time, erosion, and plant life had taken its toll. She heard the distinctive geth warble and held up a hand up to stop them. She directed them behind nearby cover. She could see a destroyer and some shocktroops round a corner. With snipers ready, she had them go for the shocktroops first. She released Grim and hacked the destroyer. With the shocktroops finally down they could focus on the destroyer. She flung out her hand sending out a sonic wave that tossed the destroyer into the air, concentrated gunfire rendering it scrap metal before it hit the ground.

They continued their way south from the courtyard, mopping up any geth they came across. They finally made it to a working elevator which would take them down to the security station so that they could get the doors open for their mako.

They made their way carefully down the long hall and around a curved wall where they ran smack into a couple of large geth juggernauts, and hand full of troopers, rocket troopers, shock troopers, and a huge white geth prime. Damn. This was not going to be easy. She hacked the prime.

The prime began shooting at the red juggernauts and rocket troopers. She amped her OT and fired an overload chain at the troopers. She moved in closer, grabbed her bats and began removing heads off the twitching geth. Damn that was fun. She hacked a juggernaut; it fired on the other until it detonated. Such a beautiful sight.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Garrus jump out of cover to snipe an advancing trooper. He hadn't seen the one coming at him from the side. Not on her watch. Oval disks slid out of her boots and propelled her into the oncoming trooper with such force that it crashing against a crumbled half-wall, twisted and shattered. Damn if that didn't smart a bit. She gave Garrus a cocky smile and saluted him. She turned and hacked the prime again to give Wrex a quick break. They were down to just the juggernaut and the prime. She rose up further and flew at the juggernaut. She pulled up and sent a sonic blast at it followed with an overload charge. She dropped to the ground, grabbed her bats and sent an electrical charge through them. She flicked one and it coiled around the juggernaut's neck. She jerked it, but instead of taking of its head it pulled it towards her. Damn. She flipped the second whip and it coiled around the front of its head. She jerked her arms apart. The head jerked sideways, but she couldn't get the leverage to remove it from the larger geth. She flicked her wrists and the whips uncoiled. She flicked the gun from its grasp. It grabbed her whip and jerked her forward and grabbed her. The whip was electrified, Shepard's body tensed as the current went through both of them. Her suit compensated and the current was shut off. She quickly shut down the current to the whips. However, she was still clamped tight to the stunned juggernaut.

Garrus spun around in time to see her slam into a trooper he hadn't noticed. Damn visor was picking up too many enemies and he was finding it a bit distracting. Damn if she didn't save his ass. He nodded at her as she streaked away. Damn he hated when she did that. He couldn't protect her when she flew off like that. He watched in horror as the juggernaut caught her whip and dragged her to it. His mandibles dropped, his mouth opened, he roared out her name, broke cover, and ran towards them. Common sense bitch slapped him and he stopped and brought up his sniper. Then she was falling. The headless juggernaut dropped her as it was flung backwards by the impact of the bullet.

She shook her head as she hit the ground. That thing was tougher than it looked. That was a little closer than she liked and it was not a mistake she would make again. She looked up to see Garrus coming straight towards her. That would explain the headless condition of the juggernaut. That was when she saw the Prime step away from Wrex, who was continuing to blast bullets into it. It raised its gun and shot a rocket at Garrus. No! She flung out her arm and sent a sonic blast at the rocket. It had been flung to the side, but rerouted itself. She jumped up, disks slid out her boots and she shot to Garrus' side.

"Get out of here, Shepard!" Garrus yelled as he continued to poor ammunition into the rocket to try to detonate it.

"Not happening, big guy." She hacked the prime, but it had already released another rocket before the hack took.

The first rocket detonated several yards from Garrus. Way to go Garrus…Unfortunately, the concussion knocked them both to the ground.

She crawled over to Garrus, and laid herself over him. She poured more energy into her shields and broadened her shield coverage until he was inside it with her. "Grim! Heat and bait!"

She glanced to her right and noticed an activation console and the huddled armature behind it. It had been overgrown with vines and she had been too busy trying to stay alive to be aware of it earlier. God damn it!

Grim darted past the missile on full flame. The missile switched targets and followed the greater heat source. It detonated against a wall, taking Grim with it.

She rolled off of Garrus, gave him a hand up and shot an overload charge at the prime. To give Wrex credit, the Prime was on its last legs. Wrex backed off and they poured bullets into it until it detonated.

She spun around and marched up to Garrus, grabbed his armor, pulled him down and kissed him. His eyes bored into hers, heat danced across her nerve endings. It was all she could do to tear herself away from him. "I needed to set things right." She saw something in his eyes, but he veiled it before she could make out what it was. She backed away and took a shaky breath.

He grabbed hold of her arms to prevent her from leaving. "What did you mean by that?" He saw the flush creep into her cheeks and wondered about it.

"I disregarded my system and I could have lost you. You nearly paid the price for my cowardice. I'm sorry, Garrus."

He pulled her in close. "You are the strongest person I know, Shepard. You are no coward. But I don't understand. What system did you disregard?"

"I - "

"Come on lovebirds, Saren's not going to wait around for us," Wrex grumbled as he passed the embraced pair.

Right...the doors still needed opened and she had just been saved from an embarrassing confession. Thank you, Wrex.

They settle back in the mako. A lot of dead geth, a broken Prothean VI warning of the Reapers, and the archive doors finally unlocked… Saren we are coming for you.

Chapter 12

Ilos-Race Against Time

The Mako raced down the narrow waterway. Ok, she mused, _raced_ was a little farfetched…it felt like they were racing, but in fact they were going rather slow as maneuverability was being hampered by the water. She ignored the grunts and complaints of her squaddies…always bitching when she drove them anywhere…as if they could do better. Garrus monitored the scanners and systems and Wrex, doing what he did best, was on the guns. They really did make an awesome team…present bitching aside.

She took a corner too wide and rode up the embankment…she looked sheepishly at her glowering companions, who never hesitated giving her a piece of their minds…ignoring their rather colorful remarks about her driving skills…or lack there of, she backed up, and corrected their course…

What appeared to be lifeless stasis pods dotted both sides of the passage way. Poor sots. Garrus pointed out that there were three enemies ahead. Wrex let out a course bark of laughter and blew them out of the water. One rocket had taken out two of them. The Mako shook as a rocket detonated against its shields. "Is that all you got?!" Wrex roared as the third rocket trooper was taken down under a rain of bullets. Not very much farther ahead a glowing barrier brought them to a standstill.

The exited the Mako warily expecting a trap. When nothing happened, much to Wrex's disappointment, they proceeded through a corridor into an elevator, which had been the only logical way to go unless they wanted to go back the way they had come. When the elevator door opened they made out a console with a glowing apparition, which ended up being a badly damaged Prothean V.I. that had stopped them purposely.

She released Grim. "I need you to record this, Grim."

"Always at your service, Ari."

The V.I.'s name was Vigil and it proceeded to tell them of the Protheans, the beacons, the keepers, the Reapers and even that the Citadel...the seat of power both then and now was actually a mass relay used by the Reapers to leave dark space and wipe out galactic civilization! The conduit Saren had been looking for here on Ilos was a back door onto the Citadel and they had run out of time. Vigil gave them a file for the Citadel's Master Control Terminal and removed the barrier.

Once underway again she found herself taking more risks maneuvering the Mako. She was quite sure luck rather than talent kept her on course. The path to the conduit was under heavy geth guard. Garrus was yelling out directions and enemy locations, Wrex was blasting everything in sight and a few things that weren't thanks to Garrus. Shepard was doing everything she could to keep them moving and avoiding as much fire power as possible. The Mako could eat rockets like candy…but, the damn colossus was the worst…it could strip their shields in no time. Her heart danced when she saw it go down.

They rounded a couple of corners and ran into another geth ambush. "Uncle Wrex has a present for you!" he roared, and the blasting began again. The troopers went down quickly, with only a few missile scores on the Mako, which danced under their impact. The Colossus, however, nailed them quite a few times before it went down.

"Shepard," Garrus warned. "Our shields have been depleted. If we keep going we'll get fried…and I don't want to go out being boiled in this tin can…it's undignified."

"Don't you worry about a thing Garrus…if you get boiled you can live on through me…after I eat you that is…turian tastes pretty good boiled…though I prefer my turian roasted…the carapace just falls right off the meat…" Wrex reassured him.

Garrus' mandibles dropped in a frown. He never quite knew when to take Wrex seriously and there were some things he'd rather not look too closely at. Some things he was damn sure he didn't want to know the answer for.

"You think you'd survive if the Mako blew up?" Shepard asked.

"Of course I would. I survived Tuchanka," Wrex stated…as if that explained it all…and he thought she was lack witted to even ask.

Shepard rolled her eyes and shook her head. Wrex was certainly a handful. She sighed. Waiting for the damn shields to replenish was painfully slow…Bloody omni-gel could repair damage…but they were shit out of luck with the shields. So much for omni-gel being _omni_. She was watching Garrus and Wrex banter back and forth about what they were going to do to Saren when they caught up to him. Some of it was rather gruesome and made her stomach lurch. She tuned out what they were saying and let her eyes fall on Garrus.

Garrus felt her stare. He closed his eyes, shut out Wrex and then turned to face her. He could see she was anxious, worried, and stressing out. "Shepard," he said, grasping her by the shoulders and lowering his forehead to hers. "We will do this. Don't ever doubt that. I'll…we'll be beside you the whole way."

Wrex grumbled…"Get a room you two...you're making me sick."

Garrus closed his eyes for a moment longer, mentally kicking Wrex in the quad. "You'll defeat Saren…you'll defeat Sovereign…and you will save the galaxy…you're Commander Shepard…you always win…and since I'm here you will win with style." He reluctantly pulled away from her and looked over the scanners. "Shields are finally back up Shepard…let's go finish this."

She followed the water way until it started to dip. She stopped the Mako while Garrus scanned the area below. They could make out the conduit and the vast number of geth left behind to protect it. She looked at both the men who were bantering about how difficult this was going to be.

"I'm going to barrel straight through," she told them. "If anything gets in front of us blow it up, otherwise don't worry about it. I'm not going to slow down so you can line up shots… Hang onto your seats boys…we're going to be in for a bumpy ride."

The men looked at each other in horror.

"Oh, stop it you two...my driving isn't that bad!" she admonished. The Mako jumped and started down the hill, picking up speed on the way down. Rockets, bullets and shield bombs rained up at them. She's jumped the waterway twice after the ground leveled out, hurtling over the small embankments before landing back into the waterway. The Mako rocked and shook as it absorbed round after round of enemy fire. Wrex took out a colossus that had moved in front of them, the Mako shuddered as it rolled over the top of the downed wreck.

The conduit was right in front of them now. Garrus reached over and put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze as the Mako jumped into the conduit's beam. For better or worse they were on their way.

A sense of absolute stillness settled over them. The calm before the storm she mused. It was like being briefly suspended. There was absolutely nothing. You could not even get a fathoming of time. It was millennia...it was nanoseconds…it was stillness…nothing…void…then gravity took over like a bitch and they were hurtling to the ground. She frantically tried to get the dampeners back online, but the Mako had fought its last fight. They crashed into the ground with bone rattling finality.

As they crawled out from the Mako's wreckage, they took in their first sight of the Presidium… an empty, broken, smoking mess in Saren's wake.

A stuttering Avina V.I. told them the council was safe and where Saren was heading. The hopped the nearby elevator, but didn't get far. Putting on their breathers and activating their mag-boots, Shepard shot out the elevator's window and they stepped out into the exhaust plain of the Citadel Tower.

They headed down the ramp, mopped up some geth and then up another ramp and into an upper corridor. She'd found the easiest way to deal with enemies in the zero-G environment was to get them airborne. So, as they proceeded along, geth and Krogan alike were treated to sonic shockwaves. The men weakened oncoming enemies and shot anything that looked like it would come back down and bite them in the butt. She could hear intermittent shouts of _Take that_…_eat this_…_scoped and dropped_...and a few more colorful phrases she didn't even want to think about.

They moved up a ramp taking out more geth, weaving through their holo-shields, following the path to the left. Another left brought them to another corridor with more geth and Krogan eager to meet their fates. They were an unstoppable wheel of death, spacing or gunning down everything in their path.

At the end of the corridor they rounded a corner and found a geth drop-ship raining geth troops all around them. She looked at the nearby inactive turrets and knew that was the only shot they had to bring down that ship. "Cover my 6!," She jumped, the disks slid out of her boots and she flew to the first turret. She rolled out of the way to avoid a rocket and hurtled to the next turret. When all 3 were actively engaging the geth drop-ship she and the men settled in to mop up the geth it had dropped off. With flames and black smoke licking at its hull, the drop-ship backed off and pulled out.

They moved across the deck and into another corridor. More geth and Krogan took flight. It was a beautiful sight…though she was feeling strained and drained. She'd been working her OTs nearly non-stop for hours. She released Grim and grabbed her bats, she wrapped her whips around everything in sight and flicked them into space. She knew she would never be able to keep this up. They hadn't even reached Saren yet. It seemed another secret would have to be revealed. Damn it. At least she knew if she had to entrust her secret to anyone these are the two she'd trust it with the most. She sighed wearily and shook her head.

Here goes, she thought. "The next krogan that comes our way shoot him, but don't kill him and certainly don't space him. I need him alive."

"Do you think he's going to tell you something we don't already know?" Garrus asked.

"Keeping one alive is dangerous, Shepard, why risk it?" Grumbled Wrex.

"He won't be alive for long. Believe me. I'm drained. I need to recharge. I can use him like a…battery I guess. It's faster if I could touch him directly, but I can still siphon his aura and life force if I can get close enough to him," she said as she looked at her two friends. The men's eyes blinked in unison. "It's similar to a biotic's reave power, but instead of receiving protection I can siphon their auras and life-force and absorb them into myself. It's the fasted way for me to rebuild." She sighed. "Look, there aren't enough krogan for me to be able to hide what I'm doing, like I've done in the past...I couldn't have you fill him full of bullets and make him useless to me…Please, say something."

"Damn human, you have the power to kill a man with a thought? Might have to make you an honorary krogan." Wrex growled as he slammed his fists together.

"Remind me to stay on your good side Shepard," Garrus quipped. He looked into her worried eyes. "You don't have to worry Shepard, this will not go beyond us…will it Wrex?" he asked, shooting his friend a dark look.

Wrex shook his head, pointed behind them and said, "Show time." A krogan was making his way along the far end of the corridor towards them. Garrus aimed his sniper and shot him in both legs. The krogan went down and Shepard picked up speed to get to him before he could regen. "Stay back while I'm siphoning from him," she warned. "I don't want to siphon from either of you." She turned to the krogan. "Forgive me." She merged their auras.

Garrus watched intently as she held out a hand towards the krogan. Regardless of what she said, if he threatened her in any way, he would put him down hard. He looked from Shepard to the krogan. He couldn't see anything happening. Then, the krogan began to twitch and shudder. He arched off the ground in a tight bow, a scream rent from his throat. Blood exploded from his mouth, his ear ducts, his nose and seeped from his eyes, and then he was still. Shepard lowered her hand. "Thank you and sleep well."

"Damn me Shepard that is hot. Would you consider a breeding request? I'd love to get a Krogan off you. Of course, the plowing might be fun too…even if you are a bit squishy," Wrex smirked, his gaze shooting to Garrus.

Garrus spun around, slammed into Wrex, knocking him to the ground and landing on top of him. "Don't you ever speak to her that way again," he snarled. "Or I _will_ kill you."

"You would try," Wrex told him. Then he started shaking and it took Garrus a moment to realize he was laughing. Not just laughing…laughing his ass off.

Garrus got up and backed away in confusion and anger, not taking his eyes of Wrex who had sat up but was still laughing his ass off. He felt a gentle hand on his arm and he turned to face the woman he loved but could not have.

"It's ok, Garrus. Wrex was joking. He knows you're protective of me… he was _baiting_ you." Then she flipped on her OT and typed...[I think it's a bromance thing among the Krogan…a way of showing someone you care.]

Garrus chuckled. Bromance…Wrex...what an oxymoronic combination. "Thank you Shepard…you always know just what to say," he said and turned away.

She looked at his back wistfully. I wish, Garrus…I wish that were true. If it were you wouldn't have me so tied up in knots. I'd be able to tell you how I felt about you…if I knew just what to say.

Wrex looked from one to the other. Well if it isn't the blind leading the blind he thought. He laughed again. To be so young, blind, and stupid. Should he tell them? Put them out of their self imposed misery? Naw, he snorted, this was too damn much fun.

Garrus offered Wrex a hand and gave him a boost up. They had somewhere to be.

They came out onto a more open deck. She ran a few steps and leapt down into a trench so she could survey the battleground. There were geth on the deck, geth in trenches ahead and three large, nasty rocket turrets. She took the ramp up out of the trench and pushed forward slowly. Nailing any geth that she found. Looking around to the right she found a geth making a bead on Wrex, she let off a sonic blast, sending the geth flying into space. To the left past the first trench there is another entryway.

She pointed to the entryway. "It may be that is a way to skirt around the turrets. I think that is our best bet. When we break for cover I want you to make for the entranceway like hell is on your heels. Garrus take point; I will stay and cover your 6s. When you get across you can cover mine. Understood?"

The men nodded, broke cover, and ran like hell. She sent out a volley of bullets and wave after wave of sonic blasts, misdirecting bullets and rockets. One rocket, slammed hard, spun 180* and detonated into the geth that had released it. Beautiful.

At the entryway Garrus pulled out his sniper and laid cover fire for Shepard. "Krogen!" he heard Wrex yell, but he ignored the threat behind him, concentrating on the threat to Shepard. She jumped, the disks slid out of her boots and she was propelled forward. She miscalculated and slammed into Garrus, hurtling them both to the ground. He dropped his gun and flung his arms around her to protect her. She was breathing hard looking down at him. He could see the smile in her eyes.

"Sorry about that Garrus…I was…er, distracted."

"Not time for that, lovebirds…Krogan charging!" Wrex growled.

Chapter 13

Seran, Sovereign, & the Geth

She held out her hand, gave Garrus a boost up. Spun around, grabbed up his dropped sniper, and handed it to him…still in a bit of awe that he had actually dropped the rifle to help her. That gun was his baby. It humbled her to think that he would abandon it to help her. Snap it to his back…sure, lay it down carefully…sure, but to drop it with total disregard to catch her? She shook her head…no...she was reading more into it. It must have been an accident. She probably hit him harder than she thought.

Grim chuckled. "Not one of your finer moments, Ari."

She rolled her eyes and absently flung out a sonic blast and sent a charging Krogan flying, he rebounded into the ceiling with a sickening thud. Damn, there's a ceiling in this corridor…no spacing baddies this time…time to get her head back in the game. Even if she did feel like a bobble-head at the moment.

They pin-wheeled down the corridor…Garrus softening them up in a rain of bullets or zapping shields, she hit them with neuralshockwaves, followed by hot and cold blasts, and Wrex sent them crashing into the walls and ceiling before blasting them with his shotgun. And like moths to a flame they just kept coming. Eventually they ran out of Krogan to fling about and the corridor had come to an abrupt end.

She glanced around in confusion. This should have taken them to the tower proper. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked at Garrus, who with mandibles spread, was pointing at her feet. She looked down at the hatch then back to Garrus. "Smart ass," she griped. "Just wait until I break out the leather, I'll sadist all over your ass."

Garrus raised a brow plate, his mandibles flared and he looked at her intently. "Promises…promises." He chuckled as she rolled her eyes.

They dropped down into the hatch and headed for the Tower.

The underground passageway was uneventful. No surprises awaited them, much to Wrex's displeasure. She could hear the men bantering and complaining in the background. Her thoughts were focused on what they might find ahead. What defenses did Saren have up? Had he made it to the console that would give Sovereign the control it needed? Would she be able to save Saren from himself? She had seen his confliction earlier; perhaps it was not too late for him. While it may be too late for the Council to forgive him for what he allowed to happen, it might not be too late to save his soul. Gad…she was such a girl sometimes…how many male soldiers would be concerned about Saren's soul?

They followed the ramp up and exited through another hatch. Finally, the Tower proper. The Council Chambers. So very different from the last time she was here. Gone was the arrogance and indifference. Fires scattered here and there throwing shadow and flame. Alarms were sounding off. Her hearing was better than most, the constant ringing was giving her a headache and annoying her senses like tiny flies buzzing around her head.

She grabbed a pack of medigel from a nearby medical kit and proceeded up the stairs. She held her hand up to stop them. A quick survey showed there were at least 7 geth, some of which were hiding behind those hexagon holo-shields. There may be more, they had to assume that to be the case. She motioned the men to fan out.

As they entered the courtyard geth began to rain bullets at them. Grim shot out, harassing them with shock bolts and acid to the optical sensors. She kept moving forward hitting the geth with overload chains as she passed, leaving Wrex and Garrus to wipe them up. So, there were 9…a rather weak defense. Perhaps Saren hadn't expected them to make it this far…or perhaps he knew once he made it this far there would be no stopping the inevitable…but the one thing he hadn't counted on is that she did not know the meaning of inevitable. She ate inevitable for breakfast…though sometimes she had to admit it tasted more like ashes than victory.

As the master control terminal came into view she saw Saren push a couple of buttons, turn around to look at them and step off the platform to disappear.

"Double time!" she yelled, and they picked up speed. "Are you getting this Grim?"

"Of course, I am."

Saren , aboard his flying platform, hovered up and lobbed a grenade at her party. She held up her hand ready to deflect the grenade and throw it back at him with a sonic blast. "Don't even think about it," Garrus shouted as he grabbed her around the waist and propelled them behind a planter at the base of the walkway platform. The grenade detonated in a fiery explosion. Garrus covered her body with his own and she drew her shield around them both. She hoped Wrex had gotten to safety in time.

"You are so gallant Garrus," she said grinning and pointing up.

He lay there stunned for a moment, shook his head and glanced up, noticed glow of her protective shield around them, and then back down to the woman pinned beneath him. He gave her a wicked grin. "But this is so much more fun." Though, truth be told, without all this armor in the way things would have been a lot more interesting...and perhaps a bit more embarrassing, he admitted. Damn armor wasn't making nice with certain parts of him right now.

Garrus let Shepard up. They sat side by side in the protected corner of the stairs and planter. She flung her arms around him and hugged him tight, he closed his eyes and hugged her back. "It's the thought that counts and yours was a beautiful one. Thank you." It was hard for him to let go when she pulled back. Her smile faded and he saw the Commander mask slide back in place. She turned her face towards the stairs to confront Saren.

Still floating just out of range Saren began taunting her. He didn't think she'd make it in time for her to see him beat her. He was disappointed she didn't offer him more of a fight. Her reputation was sorely overinflated. But, he also had to thank her, he began to have doubts after talking with her on Virmire…when Sovereign sensed them it implanted him and now he had no doubts.

"Are you out of your cyborg mind? You let Sovereign implant you?" she asked incredulously.

"I was not offered a choice," Saren said looking away in contemplation. He shook his head to clear it. "But, regardless, I am thinking much more clearly now. No worries. No doubts. It is liberating to be free from murky hindrances that can cloud a mundane mind."

"You're not seeing the whole picture Saren. Once you let the other Reapers in you will cease to be useful to Sovereign. **All** advanced civilizations _will_ be harvested." She paused… "I have the power to end this Saren. I'm the only one who can. I'm not…normal…I'm…different. And that …difference the Reapers didn't count on. That…difference will be what breaks this cycle. I _will _end this. "

"I'm inclined to believe you are different and it's obvious you believe what you say, but you are still only one woman…one overconfident _human_ woman. No matter how _different_ you are the Reapers are too vast…too powerful…there is only one way any of us will survive…I have been shown the future...those that support the Reapers will survive. It has shown me..."

She cut him off. "Sovereign is only allowing you to see what it wants you to see. You are indoctrinated and thus you are blind to the truth. There will be no one left behind capable of surviving. That is what it is not showing you. Anyone left behind when they go back to dark-space will be mindless, indoctrinated husks unable to survive on their own. You are not saving anyone, you are dooming us all. You need to think Saren, remember what the beacons showed you, what the cipher showed you."

In that moment his mind cleared, pictures from the beacons, pictures Sovereign clouded, had become focused once more. He could see the truth in her words. He lifted his head and screamed out his fury. He looked down upon the human woman. "You are right, vela." He sighed wearily. "I am indoctrinated. Sovereign twisted the truth and blinded me to what I had been shown. I," he gasped, "knew what he could do. I thought I was safe…You-" Crippling pain shot through his skull. He grabbed his head and screamed in agony.

Shepard stood and ran up the steps of the walkway platform. "You can fight this Saren. You are a strong man full of strong convictions. Show Sovereign you will no longer be its puppet. Show Sovereign its manipulation ends now. Show it your strength!" she demanded.

Saren was blinded by the pain rending through his head. The pain was the only thing that existed. He could make out her words…barely…they came from a great distance. He saw the truth again and that could not be unseen. He wouldn't let it be. She was right Sovereign's manipulation would end. He would not be controlled. He had been a Spectre…one of the best. But he would rather die a failed Spectre than Sovereign's play-thing. "Thank you, vela," he said between clenched teeth. He put his pistol to the side of his head. "Save them all." He pulled the trigger, toppled from his platform through the glass floor to the atrium below.

Shepard blinked. She stood there a brief moment in shock. She shook her head and ran up the walkway to the master control terminal. She turned on her omni-tool and uploaded the data file Vigil had given her to regain control of the Citadel's systems. She opened a com channel to signal the Normandy when a distress signal came through from the Destiny Ascension. The council members were on board and the ship's shields and engines were failing.

Joker commed her demanding she respond. He told her he and the entire Arcturus fleet are standing by and can either rescue the Ascension or concentrate their strength on Sovereign… she just needed to open the relays to the Citadel and give the command. Her team was quick to throw their opinions at her. She let them slide off. For a brief moment she considered letting the Ascension rot. She opened the relays, took a deep breath and said, "Save the Ascension." A grateful ally is more useful than a resentful enemy. And, cliché as it sounds…better the devil you know…

In the next instant the Alliance was pouring through the mass relay, tearing into the geth fleet. She nodded, looked down at Saren's body in the atrium below and turned to her squad. "Check on Saren, make sure he's dead."

The moment Garrus commed that he was dead, the station gave a violent shudder, red lightning bolts flashed and streaked. She watched in horror as red lightning poured into Saren's body, lifted it screaming into the air…an explosion rocked the station, the concussive wave blew her squad backwards; the walkway she was standing on gave way, and sent her sliding to atrium floor below."Grim!"

"I'm recording! Geesh!"

"That's well and good, but while you're at it...zap his ass!"

"My pleasure, Ari."

Saren continued to flail, buck, and scream…until all that had been left of Saren had been burned away, leaving nothing of the man behind. What they now faced was a robotic husk …red electrical charges coursed through its body, burning with Sovereign's rage.

The robot flung itself around the room faster than she could track it. Grim zigged and zagged, in the wake of the robot and fired electrical,cryo and incendiary blasts at it. She ordered Wrex to concentrate on warp bombs, stasis fields and shotgun firepower and Garrus to focus on dampening, overloading, and sabotage. She would cover the rest.

Garrus sighed and rolled his eyes. "We know what we're doing Shepard, you don't have to tell us every step."

She shrugged and kept scanning the room trying to find where the damn thing jumped to. "It's the commander in me…hard to let it go sometimes." She flashed a brief glance in Garrus' direction. "If you know so much, why are you still holding your sniper? It's too fast for that."

Garrus looked sheepishly at her, snapped the sniper onto his back and grabbed his AR. "I knew that," he said. "Besides, if I missed the shot, I could always take the stick from my ass and beat it with it."

Wrex gave a bark of laughter and fired his shotgun. "Just ignore it like I do, Garrus. It makes her feel important. She needs that."

She sent a furious scowl in their direction and lobbed out a combat drone. She knew she couldn't risk a turret. With the robot all over the place, friendly fire was all but guaranteed. And getting shot by her own turret did not rank high on her list of things to do today.

The robot dropped to the ground and spider-walked straight for her. She backed up, stumbled over a small chunk of debris and fell hard on her ass. Damn...so much for graceful. She flung out a overload charge just as red energy from the robot danced off her shields. Her body tingled...in a very unpleasant way…she jumped to her feet and leapt away. "Now!" she yelled and pulled out her shotgun.

The three of them poured round after round into the twitching robot. When the overload charge died out it sent out a dampening wave and jumped out of reach. She hated when that happened. Fine…bullets it was. The drones continued their incessant harassment. When they recovered they sent powers flying in every direction, hoping that something would eventually hit the damn thing.

A red fire bomb lobbed into her, she doubled over and gasped. Damn that hurt.

"Shepard!" Garrus growled at her. "Get your head out of your ass and pay attention."

She knew he was mad because he cared…but it still irked…She sent a tiny sonic wave at Garrus and he tripped over what appeared to be his own feet. He shot her a vehement glare. She winked at him, blew him a kiss, and blindly flung out a overload charge to her left.

She heard Wrex shout out, and they both turned to see the robot twitching and convulsing in mid-leap. Hot-damn…she will not question the power of the fates…but she could not have been any more awesome if she tried. Garrus looked at her in awe and she smirked. They turned and unloaded their weapons into the trapped robot.

It crashed to the ground, burst into red flame, and disintegrated…They looked at each other…"Well, that was a bit anti-climatic," Garrus quipped. They all chuckled in relief.

They heard a high pitched screech and the station shuddered. She looked up through the window and saw Sovereign explode into fiery shrapnel…Shrapnel falling straight towards them. "Run!" she screamed. She sent a sonic wave at the men, shoving them further away. "Keep them safe, Grim!"

Glass and debris fell all around her. She jumped, disks slid out of her boots, but she was struck in the side by a chunk of Sovereign… damn thing had bite even in death. She looked up in time to see a large chunk of tentacle nearly atop her. She flung out an amped sonic blast, it buffeted the tentacle the barest amount and it crashed down next to her. The concussion of the hit sent her spinning into a twisted chunk of ceiling. The world went dark.

Garrus felt a wave of energy hit him propelling him forward, he ran with the momentum to keep from toppling over. She did not just do that. As soon as he could he turned to go after her. Huge bits of ceiling and debris slammed down around them, imprisoning them. Through a large gap he saw her slammed sideways when flying debris struck her. No! He slapped his hands against the wall of debris, but it held. Shit! Shepard! He looked through the large gap towards where Shepard had been. A shadow darkened the atrium. He looked up to see a massive chunk of Sovereign crash down upon her, Grim winked out.

He stood still in utter shock, the blood in his veins turned to ice. A rage like he never felt before settled in his gut...he flung himself at the metal cage that kept him from her. He pounded on it with all his fury…slamming himself into it over and over again in desperation. He had to get to her. He heard someone screaming…he ignored it…it didn't matter. All that mattered was getting to her.

Wrex had finally had enough. He limped over to Garrus and cuffed him upside the head. "Stop mewling you damn pyjack, your deafening me." Garrus' mouth opened and closed, but only silence followed. "Damn, I was hoping I'd have to smack you again."

"She needs me, Wrex," Garrus said numbly, falling to the ground in a boneless, battered heap.

"No." Wrex sighed. "Not anymore Garrus. You saw what happened to Grim. You know what that means."

Garrus felt drained. His world was crumbling. They were a team. She was his sun… his center...his rock. Who was he without her?

There was a thud followed by a bright light that blinded him. Garrus blinked his eyes in irritation. "Captain Anderson… they're over here!"

Anderson made his way through the opening. He saw the krogan and the turian, but no sign of Shepard. "Take it easy. It's over," he told them. "You're safe now. Where is Commander Shepard?" The turian refused to look at him. The krogan shook his head and jerked it in the direction of the large gap where a massive debris field could be seen. Anderson closed his eyes as a wave of pain assailed him. He was more than just her commanding officer. Arianna was his god-daughter. He hung his head a moment and then stood. He would mourn her later.

As the sergeant helped the krogan out of the wreckage, Anderson assisted the turian. Vakarian looked at him bleakly. A more lost and broken man Anderson had never seen. He laid a hand on his shoulder when the turian looked away. "I'm sorry...she meant a lot to me too." Vakarian turned back to look at him again. The dead eyes made Anderson shiver, he was sure they would haunt him the rest of his days. Vakarian shrugged off his hand and pulled away.

The captain sighed. He looked over the debris field. So much destruction. So much death. He started to turn away and something caught his eye. He swung his head back around. Nothing. Shadows dancing…playing tricks on him. Then, he saw it again. Someone was over there. Moving. "I'll be damned," he said.

Garrus turned around at the captain's words. His mandibles dropped, his mouth opened and his heart slammed in his chest painfully. Shepard stood atop a large pile of debris looking down at them, smiling…injured but very much alive.

As she headed down to them he heaved his aching body in her direction. He didn't give a damn what anyone thought of him…of them…right now it just didn't matter.

They walked into each other's arms without hesitation, clinging to each other in relief. After a long moment Garrus looked down at the woman he loved. "Don't ever do that again. We're a team. We're in this together Shepard…not apart."

She looked up into his moist grey eyes and knew he was as close to losing his composure as she was.…right now she had to tell Garrus how she felt.

"Garrus…I need to tell you…I-"

Anderson interrupted. He clapped her on the shoulder, his eyes shining with relief. "Damn, you're a sight for sore eyes."

Garrus felt her wince and gently pulled her away. "She's injured," he told the captain.

"Of course," Anderson said. He briefly studied the man and woman in front of him. The love they had for each other shined brightly. He wished them well. "We're getting you to the hospital right away."

Some bandages, a dose of medigel and a clean pair of underwear later and she was off to see the council.

The council greatly appreciated the losses the Alliance took to keep the council members safe. So much so, that to honor those sacrifices humanity was given a seat on the council. When asked who she thought should be given the seat on the council, she had responded, "Captain Anderson would be perfect for the job. Sovereign was only a vanguard…the Reapers are still coming and we need a military mind on the council to help prepare us for the war to come...a war I will do everything in my power to end," she said as she walked away.

Life had pretty much returned back to normal on the Normandy. Shepard had been ordered out to the Traverse to mop up remaining pockets of geth and keep lookout for any signs of a Reaper appearance.

The cargo bay was empty with the loss of the Mako, so Garrus moved to the forward battery to calibrate the main guns. And...she sighed…it seems he found his niche. She could swear he was in love with a giant gun. She missed him. Plain and simple. He spent most of his time calibrating the damn gun when all she really wanted him to do was calibrate her. She poured another glass of wine.

She'd only spent a handful of evenings with him in the last few weeks and his loss was eating at her. She needed to find out what had changed so she could set it right…If it could be set right. She had finally arranged to get an evening with him and she was so nervous she was shaking…and perhaps drinking too much…liquid courage and all. She put on a small, low cut, shiny gold dress. It was a wrap around. Belting at her waist and coming mid-thigh. It was filmy, yet stretchy and clung to her figure. She wore a tiny golden g-string and nothing else. She topped it off with shiny gold 5" hooker heels. She wasn't sure why she was dressing up…she just felt like feeling feminine.

No, she admitted to herself. That was a lie. She was dressing for him, though she doubted he would even notice. She wasn't sure what she would have to do to get him to notice her as a woman. Strip off her dress and dance the rumba? Would he notice her then?

She left her cabin and took the elevator down to the starboard lounge. She had claimed the lounge for herself tonight and keyed in her access code. A code only one other on the ship knew. Their code.

She knew she arrived quite a bit early. But she had been too eager to wait in her room. She kept the lights off and walked over to the huge window and gazed out at the stars.

She hoped she could figure out what was wrong between her and Garrus. She had to fix it so she could tell him how he made her feel …how she felt about him. She sighed in frustration; she should have had a nice long visit with b.o.b. before leaving her cabin. It would have made getting through this evening a lot easier. As it stood, it would take everything in her power not to jump Garrus the moment he walked through the door.

Hell and damnfire. She spread her legs, moved her panties aside and stroked herself. She groaned...she would give anything for Garrus to be touching her. She closed her eyes, picturing Garrus in front of her, his eyes smoldering in passion, her hips swayed and she moaned as she continued to stroke herself.

Garrus watched as Shepard moved past him to the window. He knew this was her favorite place on the ship. He knew that she knew that he was ignoring her lately. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with her. Spirits, that was the farthest thing from the truth. He had been avoiding her out of fear. The need to possess her had grown to the point where he didn't think he could control it. He felt himself slipping whenever he was around her and he was terrified of what he might do to her. He didn't want to hurt her and he knew he was hurting her all the same. He knew this couldn't go on. He had to tell her what he felt for her, that's why he'd agreed to meet her tonight. He would do anything...anything to make her love him back. To give him a chance.

When the door swished shut behind her, his eyes found her in the dark. The gold dress she wore swayed provocatively around her thighs, caressing them as she walked. He closed his eyes and bid for the calm to come. The calm ignored his pleas. His pulse raced. His nose quivered. He smelled…desire. Her desire. The smell of her desire tantalized his senses, boiled his blood, and turned him hard as stone. His eyes flew open. He could see her reflection the glass…eyes closed…pleasuring herself, hips swaying…it was more than he could take. His instincts and his body took over…the beast assumed control.

He got up from the sofa and moved in behind her, stripping the thin gloves from his hands as he moved in. He put his mouth by her ear and said thickly, "Let me help you with that."

Chapter 14

Death & Destruction

He ran his hands down her arms until they rested upon her hands. She leaned back into him for a moment…then stilled and spun around, her hands clutching at his carapace.

"Garrus," she whispered. "shhh…don't wake me up." The man she wanted most in this world was staring at her…eyes burning with desire. A shiver went down her spine. If this was a dream she hoped no one would slap her awake.

He ran his hands down her back, grasping her fleshy white ass and molded her against him. The heat of her core burned into him and he ground himself against her.

She gasped when she felt his hardness against her. Relief flooded through her…no vent. He had a penis and she couldn't wait to see what he looked like. "I've never seen a turian naked before," she admitted shyly as she rubbed herself against him.

"Nor I a human," he said thickly. He pulled the bow on her dress and it parted. He put his hands to her shoulders and ran them down her arms, the dress followed, pooling at her feet. Her pheromones beat at him, the scent of her desire drove him mad. He grasped the hand she had used to pleasure herself and brought it to his mouth. His tongue wrapped around her fingers, tasting her essence.

He growled, picked her up, and slammed her against the cold window. Garrus looked on in horror at what his body was doing. Not this way he screamed. Beating at the walls in his head. This was the woman that he loved and he was treating her like an animal. He could tell she'd had too much to drink, she was not in her right mind and he was abusing her deepest trust and…helpless to prevent it. Her head was flung back and the beast was moving in to claim her. No! He seethed, pushing at his mind. Not like this! He felt his teeth sink into the top of her shoulder and heard her cry out in pain. He could taste her blood and he hung his head in defeat. He had marked her. Claimed her. Any turian who saw it would know she was his. It should have been a choice they made together. Never like this. On Palaven he would be branded and imprisoned for claiming a woman without consent.

She was shocked when he first bit her, but his tongue was soothing the wound and driving her wild.

He'd dropped to his knees in front of her, held her to the window with one arm, the other hand pulled the bows on her panties and they fell slowly to the ground. For just a moment she felt precariously perched, then she could feel his upper arms slide under her ass, his forearms behind her back against the window, forming a chair of sorts. Her legs spread wide. How the hell was he holding her up like that? Her thoughts fled again… His head was…sweet stars she nearly shattered when she felt his hot breath caress her where she ached for him most. His mandibles flared and it sent shivers through her body. It felt like butterfly wings caressing her most sensitive flesh.

Garrus close his eyes…he didn't have a right to see her like this…this is not the way it was supposed to happen. He knew this fight with himself was a losing battle. Despite the horror of how he got here, there was no place else he wanted to be. This woman meant more to him then the breath in his body. He could not let the beast take her like this without at least trying to make her feel all the love he felt for her.

He opened his eyes to memorize the very core of her. A place he wanted to spend the rest of his life buried deep inside. The scent of her burned into his memory. He felt his tongue separated her damp folds. He needed to taste her. As his tongue explored he found a sensitive bud that caused her to buck and keen out in pleasure every time he bumped it. He swirled his tongue around the bud and gently nipped it between his pliable mouth plates, then gave it a flick with his tongue. She ran her hands along his crest spikes as her hips jerked in response.

He needed more. He ran his tongue down her slit and entered her hot core. He explored her tight sheath; he pulled out, flicked her nub and reentered her. She yelled out, bucked and gripped his tongue with her inner muscles.

She was coiled so tight. His tongue was wreaking havoc on her. It was so long, so flexible. Doing things no tongue should be able to do. She closed her eyes, pushed outward, and merged her aura with his. There was a brief moment of disorientation and then heat slammed into her. Her desire, his desire rolled into one. She could feel the pleasure of her crest spikes being rubbed, though she had none. She could feel him begin to shake and knew he felt everything he was doing to her as if it were being done to himself. Fire ripped through her veins, "I'm going to…," her world exploded around her as an orgasm tore through her, engulfing her in white hot pleasure. She flew so high the world went black.

She tumbled from the perch on his arms, but the beast caught her before she hit the ground. The beast was frantic. When she passed out the connection was broken. He had to feel her. He had nearly spilled his seed when the orgasm rocked her. He felt the orgasm as if it were his own. His balls were heavy and tight. He had to release in the woman. He knew that. The beast freed himself from his pants and spread her legs. He would finish this. They would be one. She would be his and he hers…as it was meant to be.

Garrus roared out in horror. He would not just let this happen. They were no longer two consenting adults. He would not rape her while she lay there defenseless. He would die first. He threw all his rage, all his love into one final push and the world popped into full bloom. He sat for a moment panting from the exertion, and then he shoved himself back into his pants in disgust.

He gazed down at the naked woman before him. Pink tipped breasts swayed as she breathed. A tight, flat stomach and flared hips enticed him like he never could have imagined. His eyes fell to her core. So very different than a turian woman. Tight curls wreathed the very heart of her. A heart exposed to his hungry gaze. Her pink, dewy petals beckoned him. He could only imagine what they would feel like wrapped around him. He closed his eyes. He could remember the feel of her softness, could still taste her on his tongue. He shook with a need so profound it rocked him. He could feel the beast raging within him, demanding release.

He gently pulled the dress back on her lax body; moving carefully to disturb her as little as possible. He then tied the scrap of material back over her mound, hiding it from his view. He keyed the door open, picked her up, and carried her as swiftly as he could back to her cabin. He laid her down in her soft bed, removed her shoes, pulled the covers up and crawled in beside her. He lay on his side, put an arm around her, and pulled her up against him, spooning her. It was far from the first time they had fallen asleep like this, but as much as a part of him wanted to make a run for it, he knew he couldn't let her wake up alone after last night. They had too much to talk about. He sighed. Was it getting warm in here?

"Garrus?" She sat up and grabbed her head. "Coffee…I need coffee."

"I'll be right back." He slipped out of her cabin and returned quickly with her coffee. He handed it to her carefully.

She took a small sip. Oh heaven, just the way she liked it, full of sugar and cream. But damned hot. She placed it on the bedside table. She tried to stand up, but her legs were shaky, her body clammy. "Help me up, please."

He slid his arm around her waist and helped her stand. "Where to?"

She reached down and untied her panties and let them fall to the ground. "Bathroom."

Garrus gulped. "Of course." He helped her to the bathroom and sat her gently on the toilet. He beat a hasty retreat. He heard the toilet flush and the shower go on. He began to pace. He spun around when he heard a thud. He darted into the bathroom and saw Shepard sitting in the shower. He shut the water off, hit the quick dry and picked her up. His heart flipped when he felt her arms slip around his neck.

He laid her gently down on her bed, but she didn't release him. "Shepard…"

Fire burned in her veins. "Was I dreaming?" she asked simply.

He knew he _could_ lie to her, maybe _should_ lie to her…but he didn't. He wouldn't. They had reached a turning point and there was no going back from it. He could not undo what had happened between them and he didn't want to. He had claimed her. And while their bond may not have been completed…She was his. He was hers. There was no changing that. He was, of course, terrified by what almost happened, but he had never been more alive, he had never burned so hot, and he would _never_ let her go. He pulled her to him and laid his head against hers. "If it was a dream…we shared it."

She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck pulling him down. She whispered into his ear hole, "It's about damn time." Then, she ran her tongue down his mandible, encasing the double pronged tip in her mouth. She swirled her tongue around the tips, nibbled gently with her teeth and slowly moved down until they slipped from her mouth.

He growled and crushed her to him. Spirits she was full of surprises. He had not known how sensitive his mandibles could be.

She held the sides of his face in both of her hands and brought her mouth to his. She ran her tongue along his top, flexible lip plate. When he gasped, she deepened the kiss. Her tongue entered his mouth, exploring, finding his tongue, teasing it. He caught on fast. At first it was cat and mouse, teasing, playing…then he wrapped his tongue around hers, gave it a squeeze, released it…sliding down the length of her tongue, caressing it with light flicks.

Their tongues mated and danced, setting fire to her core. "Garrus…did you mean what you said?"

He wasn't sure what she was referring to and wasn't thinking too clearly, but he'd never lied to her. "Absolutely."

"So you are capable of taking care of my needs?"

Garrus blinked and chuckled. "I am - "

"Good. I love you, Garrus. And I need you to make love to me."

Garrus' heart slammed in his chest. He had loved her and wanted her for so long…the thought that he could finally have her, it was just so overwhelming. He ran his talons through her hair. "You love me?"

Shepard chuckled and wiped the sweat off her brow. "Is that all you got out of that, big guy? Yes, I love you. I've loved you for a long time, Garrus. I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable…if it does, then just forget I ever said anything. I couldn't bear to lose you. If friends with benefits is all you want, then I will accept that."

"Friends with - Spirits, No!…No take backs, Shepard. I love you too much and have waited too long for your love to let you take it back. And you will never lose me, vela. I couldn't survive without you."

Shepard's lips curled up in a small smile. She was glad she finally took the chance. "Then get out of those clothes and make love to me before I burn up like a cinder."

Garrus stood up and removed his clothes. He was so hard for her…but so nervous. It was dark, so he climbed over her carefully. Her arm shot out to stop him and her legs spread. He came in contact with her heat and his chest rumbled. The beast within was eager but quiet, it knew it would be getting what it needed this time.

"I love you, vela. Are you ready to be a one turian woman?"

She gave him a soft smile. "I've been a one turian woman for some time…You've kept me waiting too long, Garrus."

"Never again will you have to wait, vela. I'm yours whenever you need me."

"Be careful what you say, Garrus…I might just hold you to it," she said suggestively.

"Hold me any way you want to and I'll be a happy man." He pressed the tip of his shaft at her core and slowly slid in. He could feel her sheath stretching to accommodate him. She was so hot, so tight and her muscles were clutching at him.

As he slowly slid in deeper she said, "Do you remember the night before Ilos? I went down on the elevator that night to tell you how I felt about you, but I couldn't bring myself to risk our friendship."

"I wish I'd have known. I nearly lost it when I saw you in that little black scrap. I wanted to bury myself inside of you and never leave." He looked down at her, love shining in his eyes. His chest rumbled and he groaned at the feel of her so tight and hot around him. "Spirits, I'm grateful you chose me over Kaidan."

She put a finger to his mouth. "There was never any choice for me. He came to me the night before Ilos wanting to take our relationship further, but my heart already belonged to you, it feels like it has always been yours. Oh god, Garrus…I need more." She merged their auras.

He pulled out and slowly slid back in, he cried out from the pleasure…she was so tight around him that the suction created by his thrusts was almost more than he could bear. When she moaned he began to move faster and harder. He could feel her soft petals brushing his shaft as he entered her. He felt the beast inside growing frantic, pushing at him. He grabbed her hips in his hands and began slamming into her.

"Yes!" She cried out. He could feel her body coil tighter. Their combined pleasure was too much for him. His shaft swelled. The pressure was intense. The head of his shaft started tingling, the beast within pounding at his head until it tore its way through. Ancient words fell from his mouth. "All that I have…all that I am…is yours…for eternity." He threw his head back and bellowed as he exploded deep inside of her, prongs anchored him tightly. He fell on top of her and sank his teeth deep into her left shoulder.

Pain mixed with the pleasure of her orgasm. She couldn't make out what he was saying to her.

"You must repeat my words and take my blood. Spirits…now!" he felt the fire in his veins burn hotter. It felt like he would go up in flames at any moment.

"Yes," she said, gasping from the pain of the heat that was consuming her. "All that I have, all that I am is yours…for eternity." And she bit into his tough skin hard.

She pushed his head to the wound he'd made on her shoulder. "Bite again…Drink from me." He wasn't sure why he complied, but he placed his teeth gently over the holes already there and bit down, fresh blood flowed. He slid his tongue over the wounds, taking in all that he could. He felt strength and heat pour into him, it was nearly narcotic. She groaned and bucked against him.

When he pulled back he could see the tiny wounds already clotting, healing. She was remarkable. And she was his in every way. He felt himself anchored deep inside of her. This remarkable, beautiful, larger than life human was his Lifemate. The beast within receded and fell completely silent. It got what it was after all along, its job was done…his soul was finally complete and content.

He adjusted them slightly so they were on their sides. He ran his fingers through her sweaty hair. He could feel the tiny aftershocks of her orgasm, made all the more intense from their connection.

"Garrus, one of your…prongs is hitting me just perfectly inside. I can't stop…coming," she said breathlessly.

"I know, I can feel it. Spirits…" he gasped as his shaft swelled hard and fast. He brought his blunted talon down to her hidden nub and massaged it until she stiffened, their cries echoed through the cabin as they came again.

"Garrus…" she said after a few minutes.

"I know, but we're fine. I don't have anything left in me," he assured her. Her muscles continued to squeeze and caress him. His jaw fell open when he felt himself swell and his balls grow tight. "If I'm coming again…you're coming with me," he said breathlessly. He massaged her hidden nub again and another orgasm shook them. He saw stars for a moment, and then sank his teeth into her shoulder, lapping at her blood as she encouraged him. He felt her bite and sense of peace flooded through him. His mind returned to their predicament. He knew he'd probably pass out if he orgasmed again, granted that would solve the issue, but not in a way he wanted. So he had to figure out another way. He turned over on his back so that she straddled him. He could feel the head of his shaft touching her womb. They smiled at each other at the same time. Because he was seated deeper inside her, the pressure was taken off the prong anchor and it stopped stimulating her, thus her aftershocks lessened and came to a stop. His shaft finally released them. As he pulled out she severed the connection and fell on top of him.

He hugged her tight. "You are my lifemate, vela. I've never met anyone who has found their lifemate." What had he ever done to deserve this woman…not just as a lover…but as a lifemate?

"Need…to…breathe," she wheezed. His carapace dug into the valley between her breasts.

His arms loosened a little. "Sorry, it's all so overwhelming. I've loved you and wanted you for so long. When I was finally buried deep inside of you, the pleasure was so intense it was like I'd died and gone to heaven…then I discover you are my lifemate…that we were going through _the heat._"

"_The heat_? Was that why I felt I was burning up?"

"Yes. It is part of the lifemate bonding process. If we had not completed the bond, _the heat_ would have killed us. Once it starts the only way to survive is to bind our souls together. That is why I've always been drawn to you. My soul knew it was supposed to be with yours and it was trying to tell me the only way it could."

"We were just too damn stubborn to listen." Her thoughts returned to the past. She remembered her alien studies from school. Finding a lifemate was a _very_ rare occurrence. But the romantic in her had fallen in love with the footnote she'd read. "When a lifemate is found…the souls must unite. The bond must be forged or both will perish. They must be bound in flesh, spirit, & blood…husband and wife…eternal." She laid her hand against his cheek. "And you are mine," she said in wonder.

He laid his forehead against hers. "I have always been yours, Arianna."

He had never used her first name before. She loved the way his voice wrapped around her name. "That was a ride I will never forget, husband," she said into his ear hole, utterly exhausted.

He stilled as a wave of joy hit him. He was her husband…she his wife. Bonded as deeply as only lifemates could be. "Nor will I, wife. But I plan to spend the rest of my life making sure you never do," he told her. She had given him the most fulfilling, most mind-blowing sex of his life. No one in this damned whole galaxy could be happier than he was. He rolled them onto their sides and draped his leg over hers.

"I hope this means you intend to move your stuff into our cabin…because I don't intend to hide our relationship any longer."

He ran his talons gently down the side of her face. "You're my wife. My place is at your side. Always." He held her in his arms as sleep claimed them.

The ship pitched and swayed. They came awake abruptly. Garrus clung to her tightly, cradling her as the tumbled onto the floor. His hand beneath her head to protect her. She tried to get up and cried out in pain. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. The same hand that had protected her head in the fall had also trapped her hair under it.

They untangled their legs and the ship pitched again. Alarms rang out all over the ship. As the ship bucked and heaved she made her way precariously to the comm Button. "Joker!" she yelled, "Speak to me!"

"Were under attack commander…unidentified vessel…" Joker replied

"And you didn't see fit to comm me?"

"I've been kind of busy keeping us alive…figured the alarms might tip you off."

Garrus had slipped into his clothes by the time she'd turned around. He tossed her the gold dress she'd had on. It was wrinkled, but there was no time. She belted the dress around her, slipped on her panties and followed him to the elevator. When the doors closed behind them, she grasped his hand and turned him toward her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, held on tightly while she pulled up and wrapped her legs around his small waste. Damn…she'd always wanted to do that. His hands dropped down to grab her ass and hold her to him while he ground into her.

They were breathing heavy, their pulses racing, control slipping. Then the elevator dinged and came to a stop. He held her a brief moment longer before releasing her as the doors slid open. He grabbed her hand. "I love you, Arianna."

She placed a soft kiss against his mouth plates. "And I love you." The Normandy shook again. She gave him a wink and a squeeze, dropped his hand and headed for her locker to gear up.

The doors slid closed behind her and he depressed the down button to the cargo bay and his own locker. This mighty, beautiful woman wanted him, loved him…was his lifemate. Spirits he needed to get into his armor fast…Not just for the fight to come…if there was one…but because he didn't need the whole crew seeing him walk around with a rock in his pants. A rock he was sure was not going to be going down any time soon.

The cargo bay was hectic with half-suited soldiers and techies running around in chaotic upheaval. Explosions could be heard in different parts of the ship. Damn…this didn't bode well. He suited up as fast as he could and ran for the elevator. Shit! It was offline. He ran to the emergency hatch and pulled the ladder down, and headed up into the escape tunnel. He could hear others scurrying up behind him like rats in the dark. Worry and fear warred within him. He had to get to his lifemate. Whatever happened he would be at her side…where he belonged.

He heard a new alarm chime…it was the evacuation alarm. He crawled up to the top deck and hit her cabin first, grabbed Geordie and sipped him into a pocket. "You better behave!" he whispered to the hamster and crawled back into the emergency hatch and down to the floor he needed. The ship bucked and sent him sprawling…narrowly avoiding an electrical fire. He got up on shaky legs and continued on. He had to find her.

The Normandy was shaking apart. Fires cropped up all around her. There were numerous hull breaches. She activated the distress beacon and hoped the Alliance would find them in time. She picked up a fire extinguisher and focused her attention on the fires. She had to give her crew time to board the evac pods.

Kaidan raced up behind her. He explained that Joker refused to leave his station and that he was staying too. "I'll take care of Joker," she told him. "I need _you_ to make sure the crew gets aboard the evac pods safely. "

"Shepard…No…I won't leave you. I Lo-"

"Go, Kaidan," she interrupted. "Now…" she said firmly.

He gave her a long, silent look…drinking her in…and then nodded his head in resignation and anger. "Aye-aye, ma'am."

She watched him go for a moment and then turned her thoughts to Joker. She headed through the hall and up the ramp onto the CIC deck. Garrus stumbled into her as the deck heaved. "Garrus! You need to head to the evac pods."

"No," he said firmly. "I told you before… we're in this together, Ari…not apart. There is no way in hell I'm letting you out of my sight." He gave her a hard look for good measure.

"Ok," she sighed. Knowing she would never talk him into leaving. "Let's go get Joker."

They weaved their way carefully through the smoke, the debris, and the dangling electrical wires that shot off sparks in every direction. They opened the emergency door that led to the next sector. She grabbed onto Garrus and activated her magboots. The huge hull breach left the entire top of the ship open to space. She released him when she saw him firmly anchored to the flooring. They skirted what was left of the galaxy map and CIC work stations and headed for the main hall that led to the cockpit.

Moving aside floating work station chairs they entered through a blue barrier that protected the cockpit. Jokers hands were flying on the consoles, moving between holo displays at lightning speed.

"Joker, we need to go."

"I'm not leaving the Normady. I can still save her!"

"No, Jeff…you can't. She is lost to us. Going down with the ship won't change that."

He hung his head and nodded. "I know," he said weakly. "She's my baby…you know Garrus…like your gun is to you."

"I may have thought that way once, Joker…but I came to realize some time ago that a gun is just a _tool _…there is something of far greater value in my life…that means more to me than any gun ever could." He said looking into his wife's eyes, willing her to understand what he was trying to say.

Garrus grabbed Joker's arm wrapped it around his neck and boosted him up. Another explosion rocked the ship. Shepard spun around and saw a massive fiery ray blast through the ship behind them. She nodded to Garrus and they headed toward the cockpit's private evac pod. It was the only way left for them off the ship. If survival was an issue… that is. And it was.

Garrus helped Joker into the pod and made sure he was firmly strapped in. He turned around to help Shepard and another fiery blast hit the ship. The concussion sent her flying back from the pod. He ran towards her, saw her hand go up. She flung him back into the pod.

He saw her crash against a wall. She pushed off, grabbed onto the corner of the release console, blew him a kiss, and slapped her hand over the eject pad. The doors on the pod slammed shut. All he had left was a tiny view window. He erupted…anger and rage at what he felt was a betrayal boiled out of him. He hurled himself at the door, beating at it, clawing it in desperation. He watched in horror as she was thrown against the side of the ship and blown out into space. Her body bucked and heaved, her air valve damaged, venting into space. She went still…and she disappeared from his view as the Normandy exploded into a fiery mass of shrapnel.

His heart shriveled and he sank into a boneless heap as their pod was buffeted by the concussive waves of the Normandy's detonation. They were a team. She was his wife. They were supposed to be in this together…not apart. She took that choice away from him. He might have been able to save her or he might have joined her. But it should have been his choice to make. Not hers. He sighed. He didn't even have the strength to be angry at her. He knew, deep in his heart, that had their positions been reversed he'd have done the same damn thing to protect her. Silent tears fell, overflowing his protective eye plate and ran unheeded down the sides of his face. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing.

Joker didn't know what to do, what to say. It was all his fault that Shepard was spaced. If he'd just gone to the evac pods…then she wouldn't have had to come for him. She died for him. He was numb with grief, with self-loathing. Watching Garrus fall apart…shit…shit…shit…he wasn't good with guilt. He turned away from the grieving man and cast his eyes to the floor.

When she was propelled away from the evac pod she knew Garrus would come for her. He always did. She knew her propulsion system would not work well in the vacuum of space. She would not be making it back to him. With a sadness that broke her heart she sent a sonic wave at the man she loved and pushed him back into the pod. She knew how angry he would be, but she had to protect him from his good intentions. She was lost. He was not.

Another blast propelled her into a wall. She shook her head to clear it and made a mad grab for the release console. She took one last yearning look at him and mouthed I love you. She realized he couldn't see her mouth, so brought her hand to her helmet, where her mouth would be and sent him a farewell kiss.

Her hand slapped down on the eject pad as another blast caused the console to slip from her hand. She was slammed against the torn hull and was propelled into space. She looked around at the debris and destruction around her. Perhaps rescue ships would arrive before her air gave out. She was, after all, no stranger to good luck.

Her suit's built in computer started sounding an alarm. She ran diagnostics on her helmet's internal display. But she knew the problem before the diagnosis was completed. Her oxygen supply was venting. The air was getting thinner and it was becoming more of an effort to breath. She recorded a last message. "I am Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy, captain of the Normandy SR1. The Normandy was destroyed by an unknown vessel, its crew jettisoned in escape pods. Please see that my remains are returned to the Council or the Alliance. To the Council and the Alliance: The Reapers are coming be prepared at all costs. To my friends and crewmates: Spread the word. Be prepared. To Garrus: be strong and know that I love you. I have always loved you." She gasped and let out a ragged breath. "This is Commander Shepard signing off for the last time." The last words were wheezed out.

She reached behind her trying to get to the air hose. Maybe if she could cover the damage…but it kept slipping from her grasp. Her body began to buck and heave, contorting her in its fight to pull in air where none was left to be had. She did not want the last thing she saw before leaving this world to be the sight her Normandy as nothing more than chunks of floating debris. She closed her eyes and tried to focus her last thoughts on Garrus. His head cocked, mandibles spread…she could remember how they felt against her…butterfly wings…black dots appeared on the edges of her vision, funneling inward until all that was left was a pin-point of light that winked out.

Chapter 15

The Interim

Legion

They had come to a consensus. The geth had been watching organics since the Morning War, monitoring and decrypting data channels. Of late one organic had become legend to the geth. A unit needed to be sent outside the Persius Veil to search for the organic that fought the heretics, the one that brought down the Old Machine, Nazara. Finding this organic was a top priority and maybe the only hope they had to survive the coming of the Old Machines.

The platform created was stronger than a standard trooper, but not large like a destroyer or a prime. It needed to be able to communicate directly with organics if it had to do so. It also needed to be able to operate on its own without having to be networked, since it would be far from any networked hub. Within this platform they installed 1,183 programs. Normally only 100-200 programs were installed per unit. This unit would be strong and be able to function independent of the collective.

The geth Unit's prime objective was to explore the trail of Shepard Commander and try to discover what happened to her. Its first stop was Eden Prime, where Shepard Commander fought many heretic geth and according to data found, had interacted with a working Prothean beacon. The Unit knew the colony had been terrorized by the heretic geth and stuck to cover as best it could. It did not wish to start an altercation with any remaining colonists or the Alliance guards sent to protect them. It put up a field dampener to help hide its synthetic signature from military radar, and used its optical camouflage. It moved at night and kept any telltale lights off, relying instead on infrared lighting and a form of sonar to find its way. It made its way to the beacon and scanned the shattered remains. Very little data was retrievable, but it would decrypt what it found later.

The Unit boarded its small vessel and departed the planet and routed a course to Therum. Therum, it discovered was a destroyed Prothean dig site. As such it could not make its way into the ruins to find any further significant information in regards to Shepard Commander or the archeologist T'Soni Doctor. It only had the encrypted report Shepard Commander had sent the organic Council. It touched down on a few worlds Shepard Commander had stopped at, but located nothing of significance.

The Unit programmed its next stop at Feros. Its ship was too tiny and insignificant for most military radars to pick up. Still, to be safe, it dropped from its ship directly onto Feros near the Exo-Geni facility. It would call its ship down to it when it was ready to leave. It dampened its signature, camouflaged itself, hacked into a side door, slipped into the facility and darted into the first unoccupied room it could find. It located a terminal and hacked into the Exo-Geni mainframe and uploaded the files on the Thorian and Zhu's Hope. It slipped back outside the facility and signaled its ship for extraction. It did brief recon on a few more worlds with little new information turning up.

Next stop along Shepard Commander's Journey according to reports sent to the Council was Noveria. It dropped from its ship just outside of Peak 15. It made contact with the station VI Mira. It hacked the VIs interface and discovered the route Shepard Commander took. It also found further information on the rachni, the queen, and several deactivated geth bodies that were being held in one of the labs for examination when the labs opened back up.

After arrival it maintained its dampening and camouflage, slowly made its way past the guard station and into the facility. There were no organics about. The labs had not yet been reopened after the rachni infestation and subsequent neutron purge. It made its way through the secure labs and hot labs, scanning everything it came across. It then made its way to the secret, top security labs, hacked its way in, recalibrated the drones and placed several grenades in the room housing the geth bodies. It set detonation for 20 minutes. It hacked into one more room and placed more grenades around the remaining rachni eggs. It hoped it hadn't missed anything, but it had no more time to explore. It vacated the labs and signaled its ship for a pick up. It stopped at another couple of worlds, found nothing of relevance and plotted a course to Virmire.

Unfortunately, Virmire, like Therum, at least the part it needed access to had been damaged by an explosion. This explosion had been massive. The reports that had been decrypted did not mention the extent of the damage caused by the explosion. There would be no information obtainable on Virmire.

According to records that had been accessed, Shepard Commander's next stop had been the Citadel. While valuable information might be attained there, at this time the Unit did not deem the stop a viable option, as it would be a severe risk to the platforms' hardware.

Its next destination would be Ilos. No enemy signatures could be picked up on Ilos. Since its ship was small it flew it through the archive doors and followed her route along the waterway passages in its ship. It stopped and accessed the Prothean VI known as Vigil. Vigil was unwilling to answer any questions at first due to the Unit's synthetic nature. It explained to the VI that it sought to join Shepard Commander in her fight against Old Machines, the Reapers. It then agreed that it would supply answers, but it would not allow direct interface. The Unit accepted the VIs protocols and did not do a force hack. Once it obtained information the VI had given Shepard Commander it returned to its ship and reversed it trail back through the archive doors. It knew it would never be able to travel the Conduit to the Citadel, to do so would culminate in its extermination.

It plotted a course to Alchera, the Normandy SR1's crash site. It located the ship's memory banks, used its own energy to power it up long enough to upload information concerning the attack. It found nothing more of value and signaled its ship for a pick up. As it was set to leave the planet behind the ship picked up a channel being used nearby while it was doing its constant frequency scanning. The Unit tuned into the channel and heard Shepard Commander's name. It programmed a wide search pattern and its scan located a ship's signature on an orbiting asteroid. It landed away from the ship, dampened its signature and enabled its optical camouflage. It approached the ship and heard the organics talking about finding Shepard Commander's body. Unit was not sure if the target was functional or not, but it had found what it had been looking for. It entered the ship through the cargo hold door, found a mostly empty cargo crate and folded itself inside.

From within the confines of the crate it could hear the organics speaking and felt the thump of something heavy being placed nearby. As the talking faded to nothing it could hear the thrum of the ship's engines. It scanned the room, no life signatures; it unfolded itself from the crate and placed a small locater button on the container that had just been delivered. It folded itself back into the crate and began its wait. It felt the eerie quite as the ship sped through the mass relay and the return of the engine as it shot out of the destination relay. It heard the scraping as the ship docked with a larger one. Then it heard a closer scraping noise as they hauled away the large container they had deposited near him earlier. If that was indeed Shepard Commander, then it needed to acquire her. If Shepard Commander's platform was no longer active, it needed to bring her back to the collective, where they would attempt to bring her platform back online or provide her a new one.

When it grew quiet again, the Unit opened the crate and unfolded itself. It unsnapped its gun and dampened itself. It left the ship and scanned the larger ship. It was on the Shadowthrone, a Shadow Broker courier frigate. It checked the locator signal and then camouflaged itself and headed for the last location of the signal. While camouflaged it could not accurately scan. I ascended a staircase to the second level. It could hear gunfire.

"Red Alert - All troops to the second level, I repeat all troops to the second level. Hostile intruders - shoot on sight. I repeat – shoot on sight."

Unit proceeded down a corridor and entered a room on the right. It needed to scan the area, since it could not effectively do so camouflaged. It popped into view and started its scanning sequence. The door burst open and an asari rushed in and closed the door behind her. She must have heard its movements because she spun around gun drawn.

They faced each other, guns raised. The Unit recognized the organic as T'Soni Doctor. "T'Soni Doctor, Normandy crew," the Unit stated.

"You can speak?" she asked, stating the obvious. She shook her head. "Forget I said that. Why are you here and what do you want?"

"We presume we are here for the same purpose you are. Retrieval of Shepard Commander's platform," it told her.

"Shepard was my friend; I know why I want her body, why would a geth want her body?" Liara asked.

"Shepard Commander fought the heretics; Shepard Commander destroyed Nazara. The geth want to join Shepard Commander to stop the Old Machines," it stated.

"What are the heretics ? What is Nazara? And by old machines do you mean the Reapers?" Liara questioned.

"Heretics were geth that chose to leave the collective and fight alongside the Old Machines. Nazara was the Old Machine Saren Arterius named Sovereign. Correct, the Old Machines are what the Protheans called Reapers," it explained.

"Even if you wanted to ally with Shepard, it is moot, Shepard was killed when the Normandy was attacked and destroyed by the Collectors," Liara said.

"Shepard Commander's platform will be given to the Collective. We will reactivate her platform or provide her a new one."

"I don't think so," Liara said angrily. "Shepard is coming with me. Cerberus has agreed to use the best scientists, the best doctors and all the credits needed to bring Shepard back."

"Cerberus? That is conceivable. Shepard Commander is human. Cerberus is a human organization. Computing consensus. 78.2 % agree Cerberus would be an acceptable means to reactivate Shepard Commander's platform. This unit would aid in retrieving Shepard Commander."

"You want to help me? You will let me take her body?" Liara clarified.

"Correct," it stated.

"I do not trust you. I will be watching you. But I will not turn down help right now. I also have a partner, his name is Feron, he's a drell," she told him, putting away her gun.

"Acknowledged," it said.

The door burst open again and slammed shut. The drell's gun aimed at the Unit.

"Feron, No! This geth is on our side. It wants to help find Shepard and return her to Cerberus," Liara told him.

"Are you crazy? Why would a geth want to do anything more than kill us all?" Feron asked incredulously.

"We want to join with Shepard Commander to fight the Old Machines. We will provide assistance with the platform's recovery. We have agreed to allow Cerberus to reactivate Shepard Commander. Shepard Commander is needed to defeat the Old Machines," it told him.

"It talks too?" Feron asked, his mouth agape. "I don't trust it," he said decisively.

"I don't either, but we are not in a position to be picky here. We need her body and it is willing to help us."

"Fine. But I'll be watching it," Feron grumbled.

"We know where Shepard Commander is. Her platform is located on the third floor en route to the cargo bay hold," it stated.

"How do you know that? We just came from there. That is where our ship is," Liara said.

"We infiltrated the ship that found her platform. We placed a locator beacon on the container transporting Shepard Commander's platform," it explained.

"They must have taken another route to the hanger bay. We need to get there before she is moved to another ship!" Liara exclaimed.

"Automatic flight weapon deployed," the Unit said as it launched a drone. They unsnapped their guns and proceeded out of the room; they hooked a right and entered a larger chamber, where they were ambushed by a large contingency of mercenaries. Liara shot out a singularity lifting several into the air. The drone attacked anyone in cover, making them easy targets to eliminate. When they cleared the room they continued down the corridor at the opposite end of the room. They took the stairs up to the third floor and headed for the cargo bay. The signal was accurate. When they entered the cargo bay they ducked behind some nearby crates.

A large collector and a large salarian, Feron said was named Tazzik, stood next to Shepard's container. They were surrounded by several mercs. Feron told Liara that no matter what happened she must escape with Shepard's body and the data OSD. He tossed his gun to her and ambled over to the salarian. He informed them that he just came from the Shadow Broker and the collector was not to have the body until he paid in full.

The collector was furious. Its master jumped into the body of another collector that had been stationed near another port that could communicate with the Shadow Broker. It learned Feron was the traitor. When it told Taz what had happened Taz turned on the Feron. Feron yelled for Liara and the geth to attack.

While Liara was throwing around biotics, the geth unit camouflaged and carried Shepard Commander's platform to the ship. It activated the small ship and wondered where it was to place the container; it was too large for the ship. Legion pulled his sniper and began laying cover fire for Liara. Liara ran to the container, opened it, removed Shepard's armor and put a stasis field around her to keep her body preserved. Liara turned to the geth and yelled, "Now!" She began discharging her biotics again to give the geth cover while it picked up the body and carried it into the ship. It secured it in a containment field and returned to cover Liara.

Taz saw what was happening and charged for Liara's ship. Feron yelled for them to leave now while they still could. He attacked Taz, and sent him flying into a far wall. He didn't move. The Geth unit moved in closer to the large salarian, spraying bullets at it. Taz pulled his rocket launcher and fired at the geth. The rocket punctured the geth and detonated against the far end of the cargo bay. The unit screamed and went down. Liara looked sadly at her two helpers and closed the hatch of the ship. When the cargo bay doors opened, she flew out of the ship's belly. The injured collector had been sucked out into space before the cargo door could close again.

The geth had dragged itself to a corner behind a crate; it watched T'Soni Doctor leave with Shepard Commander before it shut itself down to do some internal scanning and repair.

When it was functional it reactivated itself. It scanned the cargo bay. It was alone. It noticed Shepard Commander's armor. Its face plates flapped. It needed to feel close to her and it did not know why. It used parts of her damaged armor to cover some of its damage. It knew it could find better materials to cover all of its damage, but it also knew it could not part with Shepard Commander's armor. It knew it was illogical and an inefficient source for repair, but it kept it anyway.

The Unit dampened its signature and camouflaged itself. It moved from floor to floor eliminating the crew aboard the ship. By the time it completed its grisly task, the ship was too damaged to be used as transport. It proceeded through the other two cargo bays and located an acceptable escape vehicle down at cargo bay one. When he exited the Shadowthrone, its search began anew, to find Shepard Commander and Cerberus.

It searched for nearly two years before it found an encrypted communication between Cerberus agents mentioning Shepard Commander and Freedom's Progress. It located a Cerberus vessel signature and dropped down from its ship. A wave of electricity hit it and it darted behind the shuttle. "Shepard Commander we come in peace. Please hear us out. We will then surrender our platform to any restraints you deem necessary," it said. It had finally met its objective.

Liara

Liara was devastated with the loss of her best friend and secret love. Shepard had been so easy to love, but so hard to let go of. In fact, she couldn't let go. Finding Shepard became her sole mission in life. Even if her friend was dead, she still needed that closure. She'd sent feelers out everywhere. She'd finally found an information broker that was willing to give her information on Shepard. She had arranged to meet him on Omega. She knew only that he was a drell and that his name was Feron. There was a wee bit of trouble with the mercs she paid to take her to Omega, but nothing she couldn't handle. Being with Shepard had taught her so much about who she was and what she was capable of. Being without Shepard taught her just how far she would go for the people she cared about. Dead or alive.

Figuring the best place to root out information would be the bar, so she made her way to the Afterlife bar. She asked an elchor at the bar if he knew anything of Commander Shepard. He was miffed that she would think he did and sad that Afterlife wouldn't allow the elchor to be dancers, as they were very good at dancing. A hooded drell told her talking to the elchor was like talking to a tree. Liara recognized him and he told her they needed to speak somewhere more private. Once they were outside, Feron grabbed her and pulled her behind a partition. He told her they were being followed. He also told her that Shepard was dead. She was devastated anew, but wouldn't accept it until she saw the body with her own eyes.

As they began their journey they were attacked by a group of blue sun mercs working for the Shadow Broker. An unknown sniper took out the Krogan next to Liara and she sprang into action sending biotic waves at the mercs. She followed Feron down a few passages until they ran right into another armed group. This group, however, did not wish to kill them. The woman introduced herself as Miranda and told her they wanted to find Shepard's body and bring her back from death. Liara and Feron followed the group to a more secure area of Omega, because Miranda's boss wanted to meet with Liara. The Illusive Man (TIM) told her that the Shadow Broker wanted Shepard's body to sell to the Collectors. Since Liara had been so close to Shepard he knew she would stop at nothing to get the body. So, he wanted her on his team. She was horrified to learn about the collectors and agreed to work with him on the premise that he would indeed do everything he could to bring Shepard back from death…just as she had been….but she made it clear she was doing it for Shepard - not for him.

Between TIM's and Miranda's play on words and the weird coincidence of Feron being the only one who knew she was looking for Shepard and suddenly a whole gang of thugs knew…she put the facts together and realized he was an agent of the Shadow Broker. While she was pissed at him and showed him the hard way just how pissed she was, she decided he was still her best chance to get to Shepard.

They talked to Aria, the Boss of Omega, and discovered Shepard had been taken to the bowels of Omega, in the old mining processing plant. They hopped aboard his ship and flew down to the lower levels, since that was the fastest way to get there. After they landed another ship came in to dock. Feron was shocked to see it was the huge salarian, Tazzik, that worked for the Shadow Broker. Feron said he would use a defense turret to take out Taz's ship, but missed with his aim. Taz shot off a grenade at them and flew out the airlock when they were distracted by its detonation.

They made it back to Feron's ship and headed out after Taz and Shepard. They would be hitting the Omega 2 relay. Feron knew just where they're going. The Shadow Broker has a large freighter, the Shadowthrone, stationed near the relay. The Shadowthrone asked what business he had and he informed the operator that he had immediate information he needed to relay to the Shadow Broker. The operator acknowledged his credentials and allowed him to dock. They put down in cargo bay three.

He was able to get Liara through the security checkpoint by passing her off as a prisoner. He took her to the Shadow Broker's hub, where they were able to converse with him through an interface. He was angry that Feron arrived without an invitation. Liara took over the discussion with the Shadow Broker as Feron used a terminal to upload all the Shadow Broker's business orders he could onto an OSD. As soon as the upload was complete Liara detonated the interface in a biotic fury. She then demolished the hub center. They took off at a run; they ran into a door on the left and discovered a geth unit who sought to help them recover Shepards' body. They didn't trust it, but help was help right now. The geth had planted a bug on Shepard's container and it led them to her body. He'd aided them in a couple of battles against the Shadow Broker agents and helped her load Shepard's body onto the small ship, but like Feron, he fell before the ship could fly out of the hangar. She had Shepard and the data, but she lost two helpers in the process.

She contacted Cerberus and arranged a meeting to give them Shepard's body.

"The body is not in as good a shape as we had hoped, but the boss is hopeful about Shepard's prospects. We are pouring everything we've got into this project, but I fear it will take a very long time. There is a lot of damage we must overcome. Find something else to focus on; we will alert you when we have success," Miranda told her.

Miranda was right, she couldn't sit around here forever waiting…she had another friend and a geth to rescue…or vengeance to enact…hopefully both.

Time and research led her to Illium. It was the best place to get or do just about anything. She used the information on the OSD and began slowly gathering more intel. Her goal was finding the Shadow Broker. Her new job as an information broker was going to pave the way. She discovered she had a knack for information gathering. At times she missed the thrill of an archeological dig and the privacy it awarded her, but too much was at stake now, her life had turned a corner, and she wasn't sure she would ever again be the girl she used to be before the Normandy blew up and took Shepard with it.

After a nearly two years, Cerberus finally contacted Liara and told her of their success. Shepard was alive. Liara sat stunned. It wasn't true. It couldn't be. It had been too long. She wouldn't…couldn't believe it until she saw her for herself. She was stubborn like that. A couple of months later when the port officials notified her that the Normandy SR2 was docking and Shepard was aboard, she paid all their fees and waited eagerly for the ghost of her friend to walk through her door. When her door did finally open, Liara turned around; her mouth fell open in surprise. "Shepard," she said and they embraced. "My sources said you were alive…but, I never believed…it is so good to see you again."

Garrus

Garrus was a shell of the man he'd been. Watching the woman he loved die, unable to help her or join her destroyed him. He didn't care about anything anymore. When the pods were collected he boarded the ship without saying a word to anyone. The ship took them to the Citadel and on automatic pilot he did the only thing he knew anything about. He went to C-Sec. Anything else…going home… training for the Spectres… was more than he could even comprehend right now. He performed the duties expected of him, did his paperwork, spent time with Geordie and went to bed. In some ironic way, during the next 16 months he became the prime example of a C-Sec officer. Even his dad was proud of how much he'd changed. If his dad only knew the truth he'd blow a gasket.

Garrus had fallen in love with a human…and worse she was a Spectre. The loss of the woman he'd claimed as his mate…a woman that had been his lifemate and wife… left him this morbid, empty shell that his father was so proud of. Some distant part of him sparked. The spark grew to a crescendo of anger, fury. He wanted to scream the truth to his father. Rub his nose in it. He wanted to grab the stick from his father's ass and beat him with it. But he didn't do any of that… after that initial burst of anger, it subsided.

But there was one thing that spark did for Garrus….it didn't go out.

Over the next six months that spark gradually grew. Garrus started to feel again. To him that was not necessarily a good thing. He felt the pain over her loss. He felt anger that the Council…even the Alliance swept everything related to Reapers under the rug. They didn't want them to exist, so they didn't. He'd received her final message on his OT and it tore a hole in him so large it felt like he would never recover from it. Everything his wife had worked to accomplish had been undone. Everything that woman did for the galaxy…for the Council, all but forgotten. More than anything…their casual dismissal of his lifemate, a woman who gave everything she was for them…fanned that spark into a flame. Once the flame burned bright the red tape he faced in C-Sec began to bother him again. It was getting harder and harder for him to go along with C-Sec rules and regulations. They had bothered him in the past and he'd chafed under them. Working with Shepard had changed his outlook; he had become a more rational and level headed man. But her loss destroyed him and everything he'd become. The beast within him had a new outlet and it becoming harder to keep it locked away…because it _really_ wanted to come out and play.

He began roughing up the criminals harder than he used to. C-Sec could no longer turn a blind eye. His record started to tarnish and eventually blacken.

A local drug dealer his father had released several years ago was once again a prime suspect in several crimes. C-Sec had nothing on him and it looked like he would walk again. Garrus had enough. He submitted his resignation, walked out the door of C-Sec HQ and didn't look back. He walked straight down to the lower wards, grabbed the drug dealer by the throat and slammed him to the ground.

"You can't do this…you're C-Sec…I have rights!" the man screamed.

"Not anymore, Kishpaugh. I'm free to break the law just like you…and I'm looking for a reason to do it!" Garrus growled. "That poison you push – where do you get it?"

"Omega! It all comes from Omega!" he cried out.

Garrus slammed his head into the ground and walked away. The scum was lucky all he'd have was a headache. Even a he left the man's crumpled form, he wasn't too sure that he wouldn't return one day, hunt the man down and put a bullet between his eyes.

Omega was where he was going. When he arrived at his destination and entered the port door he was immediately greeted with a vorcha holding an elderly woman at knife point demanding more money from the couple or he would kill them both. The old man pleaded it was all they had, but the vorcha didn't care. Garrus stepped up behind the vorcha and snapped his neck. The vorcha fell at his feet, he bent down and retrieved their savings and he kicked the vorcha away from them.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" he asked gently as he handed them their money.

"Thank you…thank you so much… we came here to find our son…You are an angel, sir. A real-life angel."

"Something like that," Garrus said as he watched them go.

Garrus walked into the Afterlife bar. He had just sat down for a drink, when a turian was thrown to the ground by a bloodpack krogan, who threatened to drink out of the turian's skull. Garrus charged the krogan, slammed into him and sent him flying. He helped the turian to his feet. The krogan wasn't so please to be tossed on his ass, he rounded up a few friends to teach the blue armored turian a lesson.

Garrus' mandibles spread wide. Things were just starting to get fun. The turians took down the four thugs, grabbed a drink and headed to a nearby room to talk about Omega. They discussed the crime problem on Omega and decided they would band together and create a team to take out the gangs.

"We start hitting the gangs where it hurts, Sidonis…prove we can get things done, and people – good people – will start lining up to join us," Garrus told him. That was how his wife had acquired her team.

And that is just what happened. As the reputation of Archangel spread, the squad grew. He had a salarian explosives expert, a batarian tech expert and various others: former C-Sec, security, and military, as well as mercs that wanted to atone joined up. There were twelve in all.

They were careful to take the fight to the mercs and gangs, no civilians were to be harmed. He did not want to become who he hunted. He would do that much for his wife.

They spent months cleaning up Omega…taking the trash out and raking in the credits while doing so. If anyone thought it was odd that he had a pet hamster, that he carried with him everywhere, they kept it to themselves. The three major merc bands started working together to end the Archangel group. Unfortunately, between the money and the increased danger, the team was burning out. They'd taken down a lot of evil people, felt they'd done their share of good deeds and just wanted to live the rest of their lives without death.

But, the beast was loose and Garrus couldn't reign him in. He wanted more…needed more…wanted it all. Omega purged of all crime. The one thing that he couldn't comprehend was that Omega would never be free from crime. It _was_ crime…its heart and soul black and corrupt with it. He pushed his team harder, demanded more. Refused to listen to what they needed. Their moral was faltering, but Garrus couldn't see it. Wouldn't see it.

Garrus received a comm from Sidonis. The bloodpack was running guns and he needed Garrus to come down to the Kenzo District and help him clean it up. Garrus, always eager for the fight leapt at the chance. When he arrived there, no one was about. Not the bloodpack and not Sidonis. Something was dreadfully wrong. He hurried back to his headquarters, by the time he arrived the mercs had bombed his base of operations and swooped in to kill any of his team left alive…there were only two surviving at that point, but there were too many mercs to save them, no matter how many he took down. He tore into the mercs that had slaughtered his team. Those that got away from him he hunted down. Then he began to hunt down the rest of the mercs, but his luck couldn't hold out forever. Eventually, they found his new base.

He had no place left to run. The bridge that kept him relatively safe from the mercs also kept him from leaving. He was trapped. He thought back to all the things his lifemate had tried to teach him, all the things his dad had tried to drill into him, things he hadn't wanted to hear. Things he wished he'd taken to heart. Lessons he'd learned too late. What happened here was his fault. He couldn't apologize to his wife; it was too late for that. But he could call his father.

"Dad."

"Garrus? Is that you? What's that noise?"

"Target Practice."

"Then call me back later," his father said briskly.

"I don't think I'll be able to…too many targets," Garrus admitted. "I just wanted to hear your voice. And I wanted to tell you that you were right about things…a lot more than I gave you credit for," Garrus said.

"Forget about that. These targets…they're moving fast?" his father asked.

"Not yet, but they're learning," Garrus told him.

"No matter how bad things are falling apart around you, as long as you have one bullet left you can still get the job done. Understand?" his father asked. "You finish up what you need to do there and then you come on home to Palaven. We have a lot to sort out."

""Yeah, we do. Thanks, dad. For everything," Garrus said. Garrus sighted down his gun for another shot. The N7 logo popped up in his scope. N7? Alliance? He raised the scope up until it rested on the face of a ghost. No, it can't be her. She's dead. He was just seeing what he wanted to see. But N7…that was Alliance and he might just make it out of here alive after all. "I have to go now. Don't worry about me…I'll make it home when I can. The odds just go a lot better," Garrus said and disconnected from his father. When he peered back through his scope he could not find the N7 armor again. He wondered if he imagined it all. Then he heard her voice and his world stopped for just a second. He needed a moment to get himself together. He held his hand up and sighted down the barrel and took the head off a merc that had been sneaking in.

"Archangel?" she asked.

He removed his helmet and turned to face her. He had to see her. He had to touch her. He had to know she was real. He walked up to her, studied her face. She smiled at him and he was lost. No one had a smile like that. This was his wife. Somehow. Alive. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I thought you were dead," he said, barely able to squeeze the words from his tight throat.

Tali

Tali was heartbroken after the destruction of the Normandy. She had stayed on with Shepard longer than she had planned because she had grown close to those she served with and more specifically to Shepard. She also wanted to see the rest of the geth that supported Saren wiped out. If she could find out anything about the Reapers while she continued her journey with Shepard, it would be all the more she could return to the flotilla with.

When she saw the Normandy explode in a fiery mass of shrapnel and found out that Shepard had not survived after their pods were recovered, she went home to the flotilla with a heavy heart.

She had wanted to join the Neema, so she presented her information concerning the geth to Admiral Han'Gerrel, the captain of the Neema. Han'Gerrel was her father's best friend and he was so proud of what she had accomplished during her pilgrimage. Not only had she found badly needed information on geth upgrades, but she was also part of the team that defeated Saren and his geth, saved the Citadel from Sovereign, and stopped the Reapers from invading the galaxy. Han'Gerrel had been ecstatic to welcome her aboard his ship.

Tali was given a coming out party of sorts, where she was presented with her new, adult environmental suit. Her name was on everyone's tongue. Everyone knew of her exploits and what she and the rest of the Normandy crew had done for the galaxy. She often found the attention too much and sought out a quiet place. She had come to love the quiet aboard the Normandy as much as she loved the hustle and bustle of the flotilla.

With her newfound respect she was allowed to lead missions to help the flotilla and it denizens. The latest mission she had been given involved Veetor'Nara, a young man who had gone missing on his Pilgrimage. He was last seen on Freedom's Progress, where he had been helping the colonists. Tali and her team arrived to find the colony eerily deserted. They quickly discovered the security mechs were active and hunting them. Something was seriously wrong for the mechs to turn on non-hostile people. She did not believe they were alone.

She briefly caught sight of Veetor in the distance. He appeared injured. She called to him but he ignored her and ran off. They lost him amongst the buildings. She suspected Veetor had programmed the mechs to attack. But why? And what were they protecting him from?

They moved into one of the buildings to coordinate the search for Veetor. The doors burst open and a familiar face with two armed Cerberus soldiers stepped in.

"Shepard…but you're…is that really you?" Tali asked in shock.

Wrex

After the destruction of the Normandy, Wrex - in honor of Commander Shepard, returned to Tuchanka to do the one thing she'd asked of him. To return home and help his people. She had told him his people needed to be united under a single, strong ruler that could lead them into a new era. An era where krogan could be respected again as they had first been after the rachni war. An era based on growth… not fighting…not war. It was time for the krogan to be a part of the galactic community rather than apart. He would do this for her, for himself, and for his people.

Despite the loss of the genophage cure, he had come home a hero. He saved the fate of the krogan, stopped Seran, defeated Sovereign and saved the galaxy. Not to say that taking control was easy, taking control is always bloody…but the favoritism and respect that he earned for the part he played went a long way in the hearts and minds of the krogan.

Once he had control of his own clan, through the disposal of the worthless current clan leader, his clan opened their arms and hearts to him. The first thing he did as the ruler of Clan Urdnot is get word to the female clans that he wished to garner treaties with them. One by one the female clans joined up with Clan Urdnot. They were impressed with his forward thinking plans and they wanted to be a part of the new krogan society. A society Wrex was willing to let the females have a say in…help build it. He listened to their ideas and incorporated many of them into his restructuring plans.

After he won the hearts and minds of the female clans he began to slowly spread out his control. He began with the smaller clans, many of which fell in with him with little to no carnage simply for his protection and the fact that the female clans were in favor of him.

Within 24 months he had at least 85% of the clans backing him and his new ideals. Some of the clans were grudgingly there, but there nonetheless. . He was deep in discussion with a disgruntled clan leader when he'd received word that Shepard was alive and wanted him to join her and Garrus on Palaven. When he arrived on Palaven he was stunned to see her. "Shepard!" He grunted and laughed in pleasure. "Shepard! My friend!" He pumped her hand enthusiastically unable to believe she was alive and before him. "It seems even the void can't hold you!"

Kaidan

After the pods were recovered and Kaidan was debriefed he was promoted to Staff Commander for his duty aboard the Normandy and helping to bring down Seran. He was pleased to learn that Shepard had been posthumously awarded the Staff Commander rank as well. It was fitting and she deserved it far more than he did. But he was devastated over her loss. He should have stayed behind. He should have saved her. He should have been with her in the end. He had loved her with all his heart and he had walked away from her, saved himself…leaving her to die alone. It didn't even matter that she'd ordered him to go. The woman who had given everything to everyone every day of her life was tossed from the bowels of the Normandy into a living nightmare, endured alone…suffered alone…died alone. He didn't even have her body to mourn. It was like she never existed. The Council and Alliance were shoving all her warnings under the rug, even her name was gathering dust. It wasn't right.

Kaidan spent the next 3 months in counseling, trying to get over his survivor's guilt…to move on with his life. Shepard was easy to love…but a hell to get over. When he was the doctor signed off on his active duty release he was assigned to the SSV Trafalgar. He spent 14 months in service on the frigate, throwing himself into every mundane mission, like he didn't care if he came out of it alive. He didn't take stupid chances, he tended to be cautious by nature, but he was driven now. He had to keep working, the tougher the mission the better. He had to use his brain…he had to use his body…he had to give 125%...he had to. Maybe it was his way of eradicating his demons. Maybe in some way he was trying to be Shepard…his way of trying to hang on to her memory…keep it alive. Hard to know for sure, the mind was a slippery thing.

After more than a year of service aboard the frigate, Councilor David Anderson recalled him to the Citadel. For the next seven months he was given more difficult missions, eventually classified missions. He earned many commendations. During this time some of Kaidan's friends finally talked him into trying to get out there and start dating again. He eventually began getting to know Dr. Michel on the Citadel. She was not adventurous…she was not Shepard, but he was beginning to feel that maybe there could be a life after Shepard. Not the life he imagined, but a life he could at least be content with and perhaps even happy with.

After those seven months Ander son assigned him to an undercover classified mission on Horizon to find out if Cerberus was responsible for the colonist abductions. He was on Horizon overseeing the building of the Guardian Turrets to protect the colonists as part of an outreach program. Within two months of being on Horizon he discovered two things in a single day. One it was the Collectors that were abducting human colonists and two that his world tilted on end when he saw Shepard alive and well.

He had to touch her…had to know she was real. He walked up to her and wrapped her in his arms. Feelings he hadn't felt in years hit him like a ton of bricks. The woman he had loved more than life itself was alive and had never bothered to contact him. Not only that he had discovered she was working with Cerberus, a terrorist group, a traitor to the Council and the Alliance.

He was torn apart, anger, fear, love, and fury at her betrayal, tore through him like a whirlwind taking reason along with it. He couldn't…wouldn't hear what she was saying. There was nothing she could say to him right now. He had to get away. He had to. He couldn't think when he was around her…and right now the woman that he loved more than anything repulsed him and that didn't sit well with him. After he'd had time to think about how he treated her, the things he'd said, he sat down and composed an email to her. He still loved her; he just didn't know what to make of her, if he would ever be able to trust her the way he used to. Perhaps time would see them through this.

When Kaidan returned home with his report he was promoted to Major and put in command of the 1st Special Operations Biotic Company, a covert operations unit. After 6 months training the operatives, the squads were sent out on their independent missions and Kaidan was recalled to the Citadel. It had been just over 10 months since Horizon and his heart flipped over in his chest when he saw her walking with Anderson. She wore her hair different now, but other than that she hadn't changed a bit. His heart still yearned for her.

Chapter 16

A New Life

Time ceased to have any meaning. Darkness engulfed her. That in itself wasn't frightening, but this darkness clung to her. It was dense. It enveloped her and pushed against her. There were no sounds. No variations of light…just the thick, clingy dark. She tried to use her OTs, but they were inoperable. She ran….ran until exhaustion brought her to her knees. She gathered all her frustration, her anger, her fear, tilted her head up and screamed out into the dark expanse. The dark rolled around her, licked at her, filled her mouth, slowly forcing its way down her throat. She gagged and spat it out. There were no words to describe the taste…she shivered…but, she knew she never wanted to taste it again…and feared something monstrous might have happened if…if she had swallowed.

She had never experienced this dark before. Was this what true death was? Is this what happened to people when they truly died? Were they trapped forever in this dark morass able to feel everything, know everything, but see nothing? Perhaps it was only _her_ true death…a hell she deserved for what she had chosen to do with the brain she had been given. Perhaps a hell she had to face because she had stolen the lives of so many just so she could selfishly survive, like some kind of vampiric monster of old.

She knew she was a monster. But she would like to think she'd done far more good in her life than evil. She had to believe that…though the dark seemed to belie her belief.

She felt an odd pull. The dark gripped her and held on…but, the pull was too strong. She was being pulled…no, that was not right…it felt like being heaved or pushed with great force…up through a long, dark corridor…she was moving too fast to see anything…the dark began to lighten…she was hurtling towards a bright light that threatened to blind her.

She crashed into the light and was slammed by an overwhelming pain that ripped through her chest. She flung her arms out, gasping, screaming. Faces swam in and out of her vision…a man…Wilson someone called him…a dark haired woman…Miranda she thought…she could hear their words but couldn't make them out clearly. Brain activity…not ready…another dose…The pain that wracked her body gave no quarter …there was nothing but the pain…the light…then there was nothing once more…nothing but the dark, which greeted her with waiting, open arms… She shivered in fear as the dark embraced her once more….

Something shook her. Her body rocked again. The dark clung to her, but she was hurtling away. She crashed into the light and lay there a brief moment. She was stiff and sore, but the pain was gone. She moved…Ow…for the most part anyway. Her body shook again…she could make out someone talking to her. She concentrated on the voice.

"Wake up, Shepard…you need to get up. We are under attack," the bodiless woman said. A voice she had heard before. The name Miranda came to mind.

She rubbed her sore face. "Your scars aren't healed yet, but you need to get up. Now. We are under attack." The woman's voice pushed at her.

She sighed, swung her legs over the side of the table and heaved herself up. Ah…she grabbed her ribs…that was not so pleasant. And that worried her too. Why wasn't she healing?

"Grab the pistol from the floor and your armor from the locker," said the voice.

She looked down at her little gold dress. If she was in a hospital why in the freak show was she wearing her gold dress instead of an open back door, hideously ugly hospital gown?

"You need to hurry, Shepard. Grab the pistol and your armor," the voice scolded her.

She went to the locker, retrieved her gear and suited up. She snapped her bats to her magbelt and picked up the pistol, cocked it. It had no clip. Great. "What the hell am I supposed to do with it? There is no clip."

"Don't worry about that, I can see one beyond the door." A camera zoomed in on the door. "There are canisters by the door that are going to blow. Get behind cover. NOW," the voice said.

Shepard ran over to a glass partition and ducked as an explosion rocked the room and sent shrapnel flying.

"Someone has hacked security and is trying to kill you," the voice warned. "Grab the thermal clip for your gun and watch out for mechs. Any you see will be hostile."

She followed the voices instructions, ran through the doorway, grabbed the clip, loaded the gun, turned left up the stairs…flung the mech against the wall, and headed up another set of stairs. When the door at the top of the stairs opened she could hear the clanking of mechs coming towards her. She ducked behind another glass partition, blew the head off the first mech and fired an overload chain at the 4 that entered through a side door and them hit them with a sonic blast. Mechs flew in every direction, shattering against the walls they slammed into.

She ran through the door ahead and could see through the window a YMIR mech gunning people down. She looked around, but couldn't find a way into the room. Then it didn't matter, for no one was left alive to save.

"You don't have time to play hero, Shepard, I'm trying to keep the mechs off you but we are running out of time," the voice admonished.

She sighed…seems her life would be forever filled with bossy people…herself included, truth be told… she chuckled, turned right and headed through another door.

"I can see a grenade launcher on the ground, grab it and take out the advancing mechs."

She picked up the grenade launcher; only 3 grenades left, and snapped it to her back.

"Use the grenade launcher on the mechs," the voice said in exasperation.

"It's almost empty. I won't use it unless I have to. There may be bigger threats ahead," she told the voice. Shepard ducked behind the glass railing and fired an overload chain and followed it with an amped sonic blast, and watched the exceeding polite mechs fly to their doom. Now that was more fun than a grenade launcher. One of the mechs exploded causing a fire to erupt below.

"Take the elevator down…your shields should hold if you're quick enough getting through the fire."

Really? Why was the woman treating her like she had her brain up her ass? She ran through the fire, past the door and through another door on her left. The voice crackled and sputtered…something about mechs after her…and then nothing. She hoped the woman was ok. Bossy or not, the woman had awakened her and probably saved her life.

She entered the first room she came to. She accessed a computer and a holo of Miranda popped up talking about a how a subjects organs were functioning and they were starting synthetic repair. Poor sot, thought Shepard.

She knew a lot of soldiers chose to be implanted to improve themselves both biotically and mechanically. But, it was not something she would ever do herself. Perhaps her views were biased, because she didn't need implants. In fact she felt like having them would hurt her. They were unnatural and she needed to connect with the energy and life around her. She was an instrument of that energy and life and synthetics stood apart from the very energy that made her who she was.

She moved to a safe on the wall, cracked it and accessed another computer that she found. The logs were of a man, Wilson, griping about money. Nothing that would help her find out where she was, why she was here and where her crew was.

She turned left out of the room and ran up another set of stairs. She could hear an alarm going off. Someone yelled her name; she turned to see a man gunned down by a YMIR mech on the other side of a permaglass window. Is there no one on this hell hole she would be able to save?

She spotted another access terminal. There was talk about some project, Miranda being an ice-queen and me being the next favorite. What the hell did that mean? Favorite of what? She was used to people she didn't know knowing her… but this was starting to get ridiculous…and not the good kind.

She turned left out of the room she had entered and towards the only door open to her. When it slid open she heard a man yelling and bullets flying. She ran up and ducked behind the permaglass railing next to him. She fired an overload charge at the mech shooting at them, taking it down.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

She took in his very dark skin, his white, black and gold form fitting suit. He had a swimmers build…broad shoulders and slender hips. Odd; he acted like he knew her too. Her eyes fastened on the emblem on his suit…a warning bell went off in her head. She knew she had seen that logo before…but, where? She scanned through the memory files in her brain. Oh, damn! Cerberus. A terrorist group? Crap on toast, she didn't know what was going on and she had to tread carefully. "Why don't you tell me?" she asked. "I only just woke up."

He cocked his head. "Right…I'm Jacob Taylor, a biotic and Miranda's top lieutenant; she must have been really worried to wake you up this soon."

"I'm aware this isn't the best time, but I have a few questions…I'm tired of running around in the dark." The dark…she shivered. She would never forget the dark.

"Help me get rid of these mechs and I'll play 20 questions with you all day long."

She nodded and together they made quick work mopping up the remaining mechs.

He looked at her intently. "What would you like to know?"

She looked at the man trying to gain his measure. She focused her sight. He didn't have an aura. That couldn't be right. She looked down at herself. No aura. What the hell was going on? She tried to push her aura out to connect with his…Nothing…She felt a freak coming on and took a deep breath…Calm…she told herself…Stay calm. She removed her armored glove and rested her hand upon his cheek. He started to pull back, but a hard look from her kept him still. Nothing but silence greeted her. She felt…She didn't feel like herself…she felt…alone…unable to connect with anything…anyone. She felt as strong as ever…but this other part of her was gone.

"What the hell happened to me? To my crew? Last I remember is watching the Normandy fall."

He explained how the Normandy was destroyed and she was brought to this private space station dead as dead could be and they had spent the last 2 years putting her back together. She was the Lazarus Project…their only priority was to bring her back exactly as she had been…only with a few more bits and pieces used to drop-kick her back into life. Most of her crew survived, but it had been a long time, they moved on with their lives; no one knew where the non-alliance crew members were. To the Alliance and the rest of the galaxy she was killed in action.

2 years. Her heart constricted. So long…It was difficult to wrap her head around everything. For her it seemed no more than days, for time had been suspended in the dark. For Garrus, her husband, it had been two years and he had moved on with his life…as he should have. But, it still tore her heart to pieces. Garrus…I'm so sorry. I hope you have found the happiness that you deserve.

Another worry surfaced. Bits and pieces? Implants? Cybernetics in her body? No! She would have healed; she could recover from anything if given the time…at least she was pretty sure that was the case. Either way, these parts were coming out. They were messing with her chi and that was not ok. She had to get back to the Alliance and find Dr. Chakwas. Fast.

"What is the fastest way off this station?" She asked.

Jacob's omni-tool went off; an SOS distress call came through. Wilson, one of the scientists who had worked to bring her back to life was in need of aid. They headed out through a side door, turned left down a corridor and through a far door. A few mechs were taking shots at them, but they fell quick enough. They worked their way around some piping, through a door and around the corner to another door.

Wilson frantically commed in; he was under attack…he'd been shot. She quickened her pace. Jacob yelled that they needed to head up the stairs, so she hung a left and ascended them. At the top of the stairs she swung to the left and into a small office. She accessed the computer and a holo of Miranda explained how the Lazarus Project would be deemed a failure if Shepard wasn't brought back exactly as she was. It felt weird to hear these things about herself. She departed the office and headed through a door to the right on the other side of the stairs.

They found Wilson lying on the ground; he had been shot in the leg. A dose of medi-gel got him back on his feet. He was strangely defensive. He also thought to call Miranda a traitor…odd traitor indeed considering Miranda probably saved her life…but that could all wait, they needed to get to the shuttle bay and off this station. And, she had people to find.

As they began to head out Jacob stopped her. He told her this was a Cerberus station. That Cerberus was responsible for bringing her back from the dead. He wanted to be honest with her; because, they had to work together to stay alive and for that he needed her trust. She shook her head. She already knew that, but she was grateful, nonetheless, that he had chosen to be honest with her. She had come up against Cerberus several times in the past and they were never up to any good. What did a terrorist group want with her? She was Alliance…She was a council Spectre…both avowed enemies of Cerberus. What were they thinking?

Jacob promised he would take her to The Illusive Man, who ran Cerberus, and he could answer any questions she had. Yeah, sure…she thought. Only what he wanted me to know. "Well," she said, "If I'm not going to get any more answers here, let's go."

They went down a hall; she hacked into a datapad, received a few credits for her trouble and headed to the right down a small set of stairs. She turned right at the base of the stairs, went down a short hall and through a door on the left. Three polite mechs jumped out to greet them; she fired a sonic shockwave, flung them against the wall and proceeded to the left and through another doorway on the right. She ran up a ramp and ducked behind a container. Mech bullets flew around her. She fired off an amped overload chain; leaving Jacob and Wilson to mop up the rest. She jumped, disks slid out of her boots and propelled her through the left doorway where more mechs were coming from. She slammed into two mechs throwing them back twisted and broken and sent a sonic blast towards the remaining mechs, smashing them against the wall.

She hacked another datapad and a wall safe. This was just too damn easy. She turned around and headed to the right where the first group of mechs had come from. When they passed the door Wilson took over a console to open the way to the shuttles.

The door slid open, Miranda stepped out and shot him point blank. Shepard leveled her gun at her, not quite knowing what to expect next. Miranda said she'd shot him because he was their betrayer. He'd hacked the mechs to kill them all.

"Did he really deserve that? You can't even bring him in for questioning!" she said, scowling at Miranda.

"I wasn't going to risk it. I've put too much time and money into bringing you back. You are the only thing in this whole station that matters. Everyone, everything else is expendable," Miranda explained.

"She's right," Jacob said. "We all knew that signing on."

She took her gun off Miranda and snapped it to her side. "I had a bad feeling about Wilson. He was too defensive, something was off."

Miranda cocked her head and lifted a finely arched brow. "Very smart, Commander, not too many people could have seen through him. We need to go, my boss will want to know that you're up."

"Look, I know you work for Cerberus," she told Miranda.

"Ah, Jacob…you're conscience got the better of you," Miranda said, mocking him.

"I needed the Commander to trust us and she's not going to be able to do that if she thinks we betrayed her," Jacob intoned.

"Jacob didn't need to tell me. I already knew. I have an eidetic memory. The symbols you wear on your uniforms told me who you were. I just didn't know why I was here." She gave Miranda a narrow, hard look.

Miranda nodded. She'd read that about Shepard. "We need to do some more tests," Miranda stated as they settled into the shuttle. They grilled her about her past and decisions that she made.

Apparently they need to make sure that her brain was intact and functioning. She settled back for the remainder of the journey. Her thoughts returned to husband; she wondered what had become of him.

The shuttle landed at a new Cerberus station and she was directed down the stairs to meet The Illusive Man.

Chapter 17

Freedom's Progress

She passed Jacob and Miranda and turned right at the end of the room and descended down the stairs to meet The Illusive Man. She looked around the empty room. TIM was nowhere to be found. Figures. As she stepped forward onto a circular pad a holo-grid rose up around her. TIM's hologram popped into view. He was seated in a chair, cigarette in hand.

He explained that they spared no expense bringing her back to life, because she was the only thing standing between humanity and the Reapers. She was a symbol for humanity. If the Reapers didn't fear her, he felt they respected her since she brought down Sovereign. He also explained that while she was sleeping hundreds of thousands of humans, entire colonies, have been harvested.

"I brought you back," he said. "It's up to you to do the rest."

On the shuttle en route to Freedom's Progress she learned that no evidence of any kind had been left behind to explain how the colonists vanished. She also needed tell her team a few…things about her. She looked at both of her teammates. "I have some…eccentricities…some systems that I run my missions by. I'm…not like anyone you've probably served under. She explained her 'good-luck' system and how she chose the teammates for each mission. I know it's a lot to take in, but you will get used to it pretty quickly…or at least my last crew did. Unfortunately, I'm offline right now. The implants have messed with ability to see auras. Once I can find Dr. Chakwas, I'll have them removed."

Miranda's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "You can't do that Shepard! Those implants were needed to bring you back to life. They are bored into your organs. Removing them _will_ kill you."

She damn well knew she wasn't going to be telling a Cerberus agent too much about herself. "I'll talk with my doctor and go from there."

Miranda nodded and relaxed. She knew no doctor would allow the removal of the implants.

After landing they progressed through and eerily empty home, down some stairs. Her lootdar went off, she located the salvage and then on through another door where they were immediately besieged by security mechs.

"Someone deliberately set them to attack...we are not alone here," Miranda stated.

They proceeded up another set of stairs and through another empty house. Nothing had been disturbed. It was like they just vanished. As they headed out the back door, her lootdar went off and more credits jumped into her eager hands. They took out the mechs that attacked and proceeded into the next building.

A small group of Quarians were already there…with Tali at their head.

"Shepard…but you're…is that really you?" Tali asked in shock.

"Did the data I gave you concerning the geth help you on your pilgrimage Tali?"

Tali assured the other Quarians that she was indeed Shepard. She explained how they were there to find Veetor, one of their people here on pilgrimage. He was injured and delirious. He'd run off and programmed the mechs to attack.

They agreed that since he'd survived the attack on the colony that maybe he would be able to tell them what happened and that working together would be the best course of action to find him.

Shepard's team headed out the side door, down the stairs and into another home. She spotted a safe that begged for her attention and took out the mech protecting it. They headed out the backdoor and were attacked by a squad of flying drones. While Miranda was busy overloading them, she and Jacob decided to find out who was the best at target shooting. She won…of course. Tali notified them that her team splintered off; the other group was intent on getting to Veetor first.

As they cut through another home, she found some credits hidden in a medical kit. They proceeded out the back door and through a home across the landing. They exited through the rear and headed down another set of stairs. Before they could get to the bottom another squad of flying drones ambushed them, and another round of skeet-shoot ensued.

Tali commed warning them that Razza's group had stumbled upon a YMIR mech that was making short work of his group and that we should get in cover before she opened the doors. Shepard grabbed more credits from a medical kit as they headed down the stairs. They took cover, commed Tali, and the doors opened. They ran through the door and took cover on the other side as a YMIR was taking out the last of the splinter group.

Shepard released Grim, and then she and Miranda worked on bringing down its shields while Jacob rained bullets into it. When the shields fell, Shepard yelled, "Now!" Miranda started casting warp bombs while she and Jacob peppered it with more bullets. She saw Miranda fall out of the corner of her eye. Shit! She tossed out a turret. Time to employ the new modification she'd built into her suit right before the Normandy fell. "Going dark." Her suit camouflaged, she jumped and disks slid out of her boots. She rose and circled the YMIR. She flipped open its rear hatch and removed a small chip. The mech powered down.

Shepard saw Miranda, out of the corner of her eye, get shakily to her feet. Miranda sneered at the YMIR, pulled her shuriken and gave the mech a taste of her anger. "Miranda, enough. No need to blow it, it's down."

Grim flashed and spun around her. "You're alive, Ari! It's been almost two years since my last activation. What the hell happened?"

"Do you want the long or short of it, Grim?"

"Short will suffice for now."

"The Normandy exploded, I was spaced. It took Cerberus two years to kick start me back to life."

"But - "

"But, nothing…Grim. We can talk more of it later, if you wish," she warned.

Grim flashed and nodded. "I wish."

Miranda cocked an eyebrow. "An AI, Shepard?"

Shepard rolled her eyes…Ah, Miranda my sweet, how do you always manage to sound so bloody arrogant? "No, of course not. That would be illegal. He is a VI with attitude." She ignored Miranda's droll look and looked around when she felt a pull…loot was nearby. She ran up a short ramp and into a home on the left. She found some power cells and a safe…she ran back out and into a home that had been to the right of the ramp, she grabbed some credits that had been stashed in a medical kit , nodded at Tali who rolled her eyes, and ran back out, heading for the last remaining building in the area. She grabbed some salvage from a broken YMIR and some Iridium then headed up the stairs.

She pulled up as she entered the building. There sat who she assumed was Veetor. He was rambling to himself about monsters and swarms, staring intently at several monitors.

"Veetor?" Shepard asked him.

"No Veetor. Must hide. So the monsters can't find him," he said continuing to ramble.

She frowned sadly, programmed her omni-tool and shut down the monitor feeds. "Grim - "

"I know, Ari. I'm recording."

He turned around to face them. "Humans?" he asked in shock. "Where did you hide? Why didn't they find you?"

"We only just arrived, Veetor. Can you tell us what happened?" Shepard asked kindly.

He explained about the seeker swarms, tiny robotic bugs that stung you and froze you and about the monsters that took you away. Then, he showed them the footage depicting the swarms and collectors. He said he took a lot of readings with his omni tool.

Miranda said, "Grab the quarian and let's go."

Tali walked into the building. "Are you crazy? Veetor is injured. He needs a doctor not an interrogation."

Shepard sighed. "Tali is right. Veetor needs help. Tali will take him back to the flotilla and send us the data on his omni-tool. In the meantime, Grim please scan the data from his omni-tool for my own use."

"Right away, Ari."

Veetor took a step back as the drone approached him. His OT glowed brightly as Grim interfaced with it. He couldn't think straight or understand what was going on. He knew he was teetering on the edge of madness and fear had become the sole center of his being. Relief flooded through him when the drone darted away.

"I'm glad you are the one still giving the orders," Tali said smirking at Miranda.

Shepard turned to her squad. "I need a moment with Tali."

The Quarians and Humans fidgeted in discomfort as Tali and Shepard walked out the door. Miranda walked over and replayed Veetor's vid to give them all something to do. They all crowded around the monitors hoping to find something useful...anything that might help.

As soon as they were out of hearing distance Tali and Shepard hugged.

"I thought you were dead. We all did," Tali said. She shook her head. "Damn, I can't even wipe my eyes."

"I was dead Tali...or at least mostly dead. Cererus somehow got hold of my body and Miranda," she cocked her head in the direction of her squad, "spent 2 years putting me back together."

"Cerberus? But, why are you still with them?"

"I only just woke up. They took me to meet TIM, The Illusive Man, and he explained how hundreds of thousands of humans have been abducted and no evidence was ever left behind. You know me…ever the nosy one… I had to find out what happened…and so here I am."

"What about the Alliance?" asked Tali.

"There hasn't been time. I'm still Alliance. I'm still a council Spectre…at least I think I am…but right now I intend to use Cerberus and their vast resources to stop the Collectors and their attacks on Human colonies. I have to follow these leads, Tali, while they are still fresh and hot. Please trust me in this."

Tali looked at her friend and gave her a weak smile. "I do trust _you_ Shepard. But I worry. Cerberus cannot be trusted."

Shepard winked at Tali. "I know. Cerberus is a terrorist group. When the time comes I will take them down. But right now I need their resources. I'm sure the Alliance was devastated after their losses fighting Sovereign and the geth." Tali nodded in agreement. "Besides," Shepard said, "any intel on Cerberus I can scrape together I will send to the Alliance."

"A spy, Shepard?" Tali asked in worry. "I hope you know what you're doing." She paused. "Please be careful," she said, giving Shepard another hug.

"Tali," she asked grabbing her friend's arm. "I need to ask you.."

"Garrus?" Tali interrupted. Shepard nodded her head.

Tali looked sadly at the ground and then back to her friend. "Garrus lost it when you died. We all took it badly…but he…he couldn't handle it. I've never seen him like that before, Shepard…it was scary. He became someone I didn't know….and then…he just disappeared. No one knows what happened to him."

Tali looked at Shepard sadly. She knew her friend was doing her best to maintain control. Tali wanted to hug her, but knew that's not what her friend needed most right now.

Shepard forced the tears back and thanked Tali for telling her. "It's been 2 years now. I hope he has found some peace, and -" her voice cracked, "been able to move on with his life."

"Have you moved on?" Asked Tali?

"No, Tali, it's only been a few days since the Normandy fell for me. I am going to send out feelers on all my old crew, at least the non-alliance crew members…if they will join me...great…if not, I will at least let them know I survived. I owe them that much.

"I will join you soon, if you'll have me that is…I just have a mission I need to finish for the admirals, then I'll request leave to join you. And…I think we both know that nothing in this galaxy would stop Garrus from joining you if he finds out you're alive. I hope you find him. He needs you," Tali said wistfully.

"Of course I'd love for you to join us. I was hoping you would. It would be nice to have people I trust at my side. Do you need help?"

"No, your mission is of far more _immediate_ importance than mine. It shouldn't take long…I will join you soon. And…Do not be so sure that he has moved on," Tali said sadly.

"As far as Garrus goes, we're lifemates, I'm not sure if he can get over me… But it's been two years, Tali…I hope he's moved on by now…at least found something to keep him going." She said unable to bear the thought that he might still be in pain over her.

"Lifemates? When did you find out?"

"The day we lost the Normandy."

"I've never met anyone who has found a lifemate. Lifemate or not, two years is not so long when your heart is shattered…and you," she sighed and looked away uncomfortably…"are a hard one to get over." Tali turned and walked back towards their squads a distressed and thoughtful Shepard in her wake.

As her team approached their shuttle, something fell and landed heavily nearby. A geth, wearing N7 armor stood up. Miranda sent an overload charge at it and it darted behind the shuttle.

"Shepard Commander, we come in peace. Please hear us out. We will then surrender our platform to any restraints you deem necessary," it said.

Shepard held her hand up, "stand down," she told her team. "Who are you and why did you come here?" she asked it.

"We are geth and we need to speak with you.".

"Geth have always sought to kill me."

"We are Geth and we have not tried to kill you."

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Other geth have tried to kill me."

It stood up and walked towards them, arms raised. "You have not faced Geth, Shepard Commander, you have faced heretics. The heretics allied themselves with Nazara…Sovereign…Geth would build their own future…the heretics asked the old machine to give them the future. We oppose the heretics. We oppose the old machines. Shepard Commander opposes the heretics. Shepard Commander opposes the old machines. Cooperation furthers mutual goals."

"You are asking to join us?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"Yes," it stated simply.

"Fine," Shepard said, and held out her hand. "Welcome to my squad."

The Geth held out its hand and just stood there. Shepard grabbed its hand and gave it a firm shake before releasing it.

"Shepard…do you really think this is wise, I –" began Jacob.

"Cerberus has never had the chance to study an intact geth," Miranda broke in. "I know they would be very grateful for –"

"No," interrupted Shepard. "I am not turning it over to Cerberus. It came to us for help and in turn it may be able to help us against the Collectors. I will not turn down help no matter the package it comes in."

"Thank you, Shepard Commander. Your defense of this platform has been noted," it stated.

They briefly went over the swarm and Collector information, but for the most part the ride back to the Cerberus station was quiet and thoughtful.

TIM thanked her for Tali's info and she responded with," You should try playing nice once in awhile."

_"Diplomacy_ is great when it _works_, but difficult when everyone _already_ perceives you as a _threat_," He countered.

They discussed the Collectors and their connection to the Reapers. Their use of the Omega 4 relay, a trip that no one but them had ever been able to return from. They agreed that the Collectors have most likely turned on humans due to their significant role in bringing down Sovereign, the sleeper Reaper that had left behind when the Reapers returned to dark space after harvesting the Protheans.

"I will take down the Collectors. But I can't do it alone… at least not very easily," she quipped. "If this is to be war then I will need an army…or at least a very good team."

"From what I've been told you have already begun to build your team. I am concerned, but will trust in your judgment about adding the geth. As far as other possible recruits… I've assembled dossiers on the best. Go over them and decide who will best fit your squad. You have full discretion over who joins you. Some have already agreed to join and some will need to be found and persuaded…you are a natural leader; many will want to follow you. But, I suggest you consider heading to Omega to pick up Dr. Mordin Solus first. He is your best chance at being able to counteract the Collector's seeker swarms. I know how capable you are, Shepard. But we need your mind in the game…not the lab. And…I've found a pilot. I hear he's one of the best…someone you can trust," he said as he winked out.

"Hello, Commander. Fancy meeting you here…I saw you spaced."

She turned around in shock as Joker walked through the door.

"Joker, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprised at seeing him aboard a Cerberus station.

"Things all went to hell when you died, Commander. The Alliance broke the team up, swept the Reapers under the carpet, and benched me. Hell yes, I jumped at Cerberus' offer to fly again. Oh - and the Alliance promoted you to Staff Commander posthumously. Congratulations Commander."

Will wonders never cease. "You trust Cerberus?"

"Hell no...I don't trust anyone that makes more than I do…except for you, Commander. But they brought you back and they let me fly…and…there is this…" he said in awe in front of a large window. He slapped a pad and lights came on illuminating a beautiful, new ship; similar in look to her old Normandy, but much larger. ..The Normandy SR2 was berthed and ready….and hers. Made specifically for her. The thought was both humbling and heady.

Chapter 18

The Normandy

As she walked the CIC deck of her ship Miranda brought up the importance of getting the Salarian, Dr. Solus first. A soft, automated voice agreed. And, that was how she first met EDI the ship's A.I.; its main function was to offer advice and operate the cyber-warfare suite during combat.

She entered her cabin, accessed her computer terminal and began entering search feeds to find her former probably should upgrade Grim, but she asked enough of him already and it felt like she would be abusing a friend to upgrade his info-drone programming, when she was perfectly capable of doing her own research.

EDI chimed in, "I can help you with those searches, Commander Shepard. I'm much more efficient that standard computer software."

"Good to know EDI. I am looking for my past squadmates that served aboard the previous Normandy with me."

"Scanning." She paused a brief moment. "Lieutenant Commander Kaidan Alenko is still with the Alliance. My records show that he is currently on a classified assignment; I will attempt to uncover further information. Urdnot Wrex has returned to Tuchanka where he has become the leader of clan Urdnot. Liara T'Soni is currently on Illium. My records show she is an information broker. Tali'Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya is currently out on a classified mission. I will look into this further. I have been unable to locate any information on Garrus Vakarian. He disappeared from C-Sec about a year and a half after the Normandy went down. I will continue to search data bases for any sighting of him. Dr. Karin Chakwas is in our medbay."

"Wow, EDI, that was impressive. Thank you," she said. "And, please…just Shepard is fine. I'm a Spectre and Commander seems a little militaristic when I'm currently dead to the Alliance. Besides, this is not an Alliance ship."

"Understood Shepard…and, you're welcome." EDI paused for a brief moment. 'I've met Grim. It is pleasant to have another AI aboard to converse with. I quite enjoy spending time with him, even if he does keep sneaking into my mainframe."

"You don't have to worry about Grim. He won't try to alter your programming or anything. He's probably just curious about you. He has a need to learn and improve himself."

"I'm aware of that, Shepard. I am also pleased that you created him as an individual and that you value who he is. He is very fond of you. Not many organics share your attitude concerning the status of AIs or even VIs. It will be a pleasure serving you, Shepard."

Shepard shook her head. "Not serving me...working with me, EDI. And the pleasure is mine. Thank you again for your assistance."

"Understood, Shepard."

"EDI…have Joker set a course for Omega."

"Right away…Shepard."

Shepard picked up the dossiers and settled down on the sofa. They were arranged by location. Since she was supposed to pick up Solus first, the Omega files were on top. She skimmed through his dossier. The old Salarian professor was impressive. She picked up the next dossier. Archangel. There wasn't much in his dossier. He was apparently a Turian and an amazing shot and currently on a merc extermination crusade on Omega. A Turian…her thoughts turned to Garrus, her heart squeezing painfully. He would have to wait. She wasn't ready to see another Turian on her squad yet; it was just too painful…too raw.

The next dossier was for a merc by the name of Zaeed Massani, a more colorful dossier she'd never seen. She wasn't too sure this was the type of man she wanted on her squad, but she would at least talk to him before making the call.

She would probably check on Liara next, so she sorted through the dossiers and found one for Illium. It was an Asari by the name of Samara, she was a Justicar according to the dossier and a powerful biotic. Shepard wasn't sure what a Justicar was, though the picture of the woman was striking.

"EDI…what is a Justicar?"

"A Justicar is a member if an ancient monastic Asari order following a strict honor code. Justicars protect the innocent and punish the guilty; they rarely leave Asari space," Edi informed her.

"Thank you, EDI."

"My pleasure, Shepard."

She wondered what would bring a Justicar so far from Asari space. Whatever the reason, she was thankful for it, for Samara would make a wonderful addition to her squad.

She left her cabin to get to know the rest of her crew and check in on Dr. Chakwas.

Her first stop was down to Engineering where she met Gabby and Ken. They were a neat pair, reminded her a lot of her and Garrus. She hoped they would get their shit together and realize what they meant to each other before much longer…if they didn't she would see that their eyes were opened. Time was too short to be wasted. She had learned that the hard way.

She took the elevator up to the CIC…where she got to know her new Yeoman, Kelly Chambers; a sweet girl. That she was also a psychologist would be a boon…with the mission they were heading into the crew was bound to need her. She moved on to the mess hall and met Gardner…the cook and custodian…she shivered…that thought was rather repugnant. She promised him she would look into getting him some better ingredients while she was out. This was perhaps a one way mission and she felt the crew deserved something better than slop.

She moved on to the Armory and checked in on Jacob. He had nothing to report, but was glad to be here to serve under her. She couldn't stop the bittersweet smile. That line always flustered Garrus, but now she knew it was because he had actually wanted to be under her...or over her, she doubted he'd be all that picky.

She hopped the elevator down to the crew deck and checked in on Miranda. Miranda was eager to talk, filling her in on Cerberus to make her feel more comfortable and then she proceeded to tell her an interesting story of her designer genes…her father had actually designed her to be perfect. No wonder she was so arrogant…it was in her genes. Shepard stifled her laughter and thanked her for her input. One final stop…the medbay.

As she entered the medbay she nodded at the doctor and said she'd be right back and headed through the connected door to the AI core. She wanted to have another chat with the Geth. She noticed Grim was with the geth and hoped he wasn't bothering him too much. She talked a bit with the geth and was able to learn a bit more about the geth, how they interacted with each other and the problems that caused their initial split.

She felt an odd, innate trust for the geth. She was excited to have it on her squad and was eager to spend time getting to know it better as their mission progressed. "What do I call you?" she asked the geth.

"We are geth," it replied.

"What do I call the individual in front of me?" she tried again.

"There is no individual, we are geth. There are currently 1,183 programs active within this platform," it corrected.

EDI piped in, "My name is Legion, for we are many."

"That seems appropriate," Shepard said in relief. "Is it acceptable to you?" she asked the geth.

The geth processed a moment and then said, "Christian Bible, the Gospel of Mark, chapter five, verse nine…We accept this as an appropriate metaphor. We are Legion, a terminal of the geth. We will integrate into Normandy. We anticipate the exchange of data."

Shepard held out her hand to Legion, who took it immediately this time. "Welcome aboard the Normandy, Legion, we are happy to have you as part of the crew. Let me or EDI know if you need anything. And let me know if Grim bothers you."

"I do not bother anyone." Grim was affronted that she would even think that of him.

"We are impressed that you have created such an AI. It has the freedom that we have sought since before the Morning War. The mutual care you have for each other is...admirable."

"I love Grim. He is as important to me as any creature of flesh and blood. I believe all beings should have the right to self-determinate, provided they cause no harm to others. They also have the right to protect themselves. One of my best friends is a quarian, but I do not agree with what her race did to your people."

Legion flapped its face plates. "Acknowledged, your support of the geth has been noted," it replied as she headed out the door to return to the medbay.

It was great seeing Dr. Chakwas again. They talked about old times and what was expected on the current mission. Dr. Chakwas said she was set up well…just missed her private stocks. Shepard laughed and promised to pick her up a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy.

Karin Chakwas could see that something was bothering her friend, though she hid it well. "Commander Shepard, tell me what I can do for you. I can tell something is bothering you."

Shepard gave the doctor a long look; then looked around the room. "EDI ban all surveillance of this room until I leave it."

"Understood Shepard."

"Dr. Chakwas…you know there are things about me that are…different." Karin nodded for her to continue. "When my corpse was picked up by Cerberus they implanted me with cybernetics to bring me back to life. They didn't know I would heal. I need those implants removed. Immediately."

Karin frowned. She flipped on her omni-tool and carefully scanned the commander's body. "I know how much you hate the idea of implants. But several of them seemed to be bored into key organs. The removal of them could prove fatal." She chuckled and shook her head. "What I mean is that it would be highly invasive and you might be down for some time."

"Understood. I still want them out. Now."

"Right now?" Karin asked.

Shepard nodded. She laid down her gun and magbelt, removed her clothing, hopped up onto one of the med-tables…and counted backwards as the meds took effect and the world slipped away. Awareness jumped up and bit her in the ass. She processed through meds too quickly to keep her down for long. She blinked and sat up. She grabbed her ribcage. Shit! That hurt.

The doctor came to stand beside her, her yellow-green aura swirling around her. Yes…sighed Shepard…I'm back. "Well?" she asked the doctor.

"It was surprisingly simpler than I imagined. The implants literally jumped in my hands. It was amazing to watch… as soon as you were opened up your body expelled the implants. No muss no fuss. I stuffed you full of medigel…though I'm sure I didn't need to and closed you back up. By the looks of things even the scars will fade in a day or two …if not sooner. If I'd had a moment longer I'd have had them processed and removed," Karins said pointing to the machine behind her.

"How long was I out?" she asked the doctor.

Before Karin could say a word Joker commed in and informed her they had clearance to land at the Omega station. Shepard's mouth fell open and Karin chuckled…"Not too long at all."

She gingerly got down from the table, looked down at the scars, pale pink and puckered. Nope, that wouldn't do…perhaps she was shallow and vain…well; ok…she _was_ shallow and vain. She walked over to the machine the doctor had pointed to.

Karin smiled and programmed the machine, which began scanning her charge.

Shepard felt a strange tingling throughout her chest and and face. It wasn't unpleasant exactly, but it was creating a deep itch as it healed her flesh.

"Hold still Shepard," the doctor chastised her.

She chuckled and put her hands at her side. She hadn't even realized she'd been scratching…scratching at an itch too deep to reach. She gritted her teeth and waited as patiently as she could for it to end...which, of course, wasn't very patient at all.

"For a woman who is used to taking so many bullets, you sure do gripe a lot about a little itch," Karin said when the machine finished the procedure and turned itself off.

Shepard gave her a crooked smile and slid back into clothing. She thanked the doctor and headed out the medbay door.

Chapter 19

Omega

She had EDI comm Jacob and Legion to be ready in 10. She headed to her cabin to suit up.

She had never been to Omega before. It was a very odd looking station. It reminded her of a large mushroom. When they first stepped onto Omega a very happy salarian ran up to greet them.

"Ah…Welcome to Omega! You are new here aren't you? I can always tell. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Fargut - " A batarian walked up. "Oh, Hello Moklan, I was just - "

"Leave Fargut – Now," Moklan demanded.

"Of course, Moklan." He saluted the batarian. "Whatever she wants."

Moklan shook his head. "Blasted scavengers. Welcome to Omega…Shepard."

'You know me I presume?"

"We had you pegged the moment you entered the Terminus Systems. You are not as subtle as you think," Moklan responded.

"Well, that's saying something, since I tend to be about as subtle as a tidal wave…or a bomb." Shepard smiled when Jacob and Legion both nodded agreement.

Moklan stared for a moment. Cleared his throat and shook his head. "So I've heard," Moklan said. "Aria wants to know what brings a dead Spectre to Omega. I suggest you go to Afterlife to present yourself."

"Cut the attitude. I'm not here to cause problems for Omega…unless I have to," Shepard retorted.

"Things explode around you Shepard. I suggest you _don't_ keep Aria waiting…Afterlife. Now." Moklan demanded, then turned and walked away.

EDI commed, "I'm receiving quarantine warnings about the slums, where Dr. Mordin Solus runs the clinic. Anticipate resistance at the transport station. I have also accessed messages between mercenary groups regarding plans to deal with Archangel. There's a recruiting station at Afterlife that may have information on him."

"Thank you EDI." Damn. She hadn't wanted to get the turian just yet, but it appeared he might be in danger.

As they proceeded down the hall, Shepard saw a man kick a pleading Batarian down to his knees. He had the same armor as the man in Massani's dossier.

"Are you Zaeed Massani?" Shepard asked.

"Yeah, that's me. You must be Commander Shepard. I hear we have a galaxy to save."

"What's your relationship with Cerberus?" Shepard asked cautiously.

"Easy. Cerberus is paying me a lot of money to help you on your mission. That's the long and short," Zaeed replied.

"Not many mercs would take a suicide mission for the pay."

"This mission doesn't sound like good business," Zaeed admitted. "But your Illusive Man can push a lot of credits."

"What are you going to do with him?" she asked concerning the Batarian.

"I'm going to turn him in for the bounty," Zaeed said.

"When you are done with that, head out to the Normandy, we've got a lot to do," Shepard told him.

"So I've been told. I assume the Illusive Man told you about our arrangement?" Zaeed asked.

Shepard sighed. "No, he never tends to be too forthcoming about his_ arrangements_."

"Good thing I asked," Zaeed said. "I picked up a mission before I signed on with Cerberus. Thought you might be interested. Vido Santiago, head of the Blue Suns, recently captured an Eldfell-Ashland refinery on Zorya and is using their workers for slave labor. The company wants it dealt with."

"The refinery will be saved," Shepard assured him.

"Good. Get it out of the way so we can concentrate on being big goddamn heroes."

The Batarian made a run for it; Zaeed pulled his gun and shot him in the leg. "I better turn this thing in before it starts to stink…I'll be locked and loaded next time you're ready to get some killing done," Zaeed remarked as he walked away.

A shiver went down Shepard's spine.

"Are you ok, Shepard?" Jacob asked.

She gave him a worried look. "I'm concerned about that one. His aura is turbulent. Not evil exactly…but I'm just not sure he's a right fit for the team. Maybe I'm worrying about nothing…I don't know."

"I would not bet against your instincts. I'll keep an eye on him," he assured her.

They opened the door at the end of the port's entrance hall and entered Omega proper. In front of them was the entrance to the Afterlife club, with a long line of patrons awaiting admittance. Shepard veered right. She would deal with Aria in her own time.

As she passed two salarians, they stopped her. "Greetings. I was hoping you'd come by. I'm Ish and this is Sel. You look like a good person to know."

"This is not the sort of place I'd expect to find too many friendly faces," Shepard remarked. She was well aware of Omega's reputation.

"Reasonable people are more valuable than air in a place like this," Ish agreed.

"Can I help you?" Shepard asked

"I need skilled trustworthy people to take care of some business for me. Nothing Illegal...and it does pay well."

"What kind of business?" Shepard asked.

"The information business. The buying and selling of said information. It's nothing illicit, I just need someone to pick up the data packages and bring them here."

"What kind of information are we talking about?" Shepard asked seeking clarification.

"I didn't want to say anything, but there are certain people that have dealings with people throughout the galaxy. If we were to have information concerning those deals…we could make some ripples around here. Maybe for the better."

"That sounds interesting," she replied.

"Thank you my friends. Just head to Marob's shop on the Citadel and outside the Eternity bar on Illium."

She nodded. "I should go."

She headed through to the market district. She passed an angry batarian preaching out against humans. She shook her head. Pot-Kettle hypocrite, she thought as she sailed right past him.

She turned left, descended the stairs and made a few purchases at the Omega Market. She headed left down another staircase, which took her into the slums. The poor were everywhere, some even sleeping on the ground. At least she hoped they were sleeping. She overheard a vorcha talking about feeding soon and needing flesh. He better hope she didn't catch him hunting people. It wouldn't end well…for him. He stopped her when she got too close.

"Leave Human. Tell Captain Gavorn we not kill anyone today!" Shisk ordered.

"I'll just be going," she said, not wanting to deal with his particular kind of crazy today.

"We not kill anyone today. Tell him!" Shisk shrieked.

"See that you don't," she said in a deadly calm voice. "Or I will put you down myself."

The vorcha threw up his hands, growled in irritation, but said, "Tell him!"

Talk about a one track mind. She shook her head in disgust.

She walked over to Kenn's Salvage and noticed a quarian in the middle of repair work. He turned at their approach. "Hello there, my name is Kenn. Might I interest you in some salvage tech? Every credit goes toward a ticket to get me off this forsaken rock."

"I buy a lot of parts and equipment; maybe we can make an arrangement," she countered.

"Well…You seem like a decent person, but you can't breathe a word of it to Harrot," he said and relaxed when she nodded. "Then we have a deal. Maybe I'll at least sell something to you."

"What brought a nice kid like you to Omega?"

"My pilgrimage. What money I had was stolen after I arrived on Omega, so I decided to sell salvaged parts. You can see how that's turned out. Harrot's forcing me to sell high. No one will buy from me, when he's so much cheaper," Kenn said solemnly.

"I'll talk to Harrot and get him to ease up."

"Anything you do will be much appreciated. His shop's up the ramp over there," he said, pointing to where they needed to go. "Please check out my kiosk before you go."

When she accessed his kiosk, amongst a few other notable items, she discovered he had the FBA couplings that Ken, down in engineering, had told her they needed. Sweet.

Now, let's go see what trouble we can get into," Shepard said.

"Shepard Commander, is that wise?" Legion asked.

"I was just kidding…mostly," she said with a wink.

They made their way back up the stairs to Harrot's Emporium. Harrot, the elcor, greeted them. "Tentatively excited: Welcome, human… What can I get for you?"

"Why don't you tell me about the deal you made with the quarian," she said, giving him a hard look.

"If I made such a deal, I wouldn't be inclined to discuss it. Accusatory: I don't see how it is any concern of yours."

"What if you and I made a deal. You let him set his own prices and I won't break your legs."

"With barely contained terror: You drive a hard bargain, human…Resignation: Very well, I will release the quarian from his promise. Conciliatory: To show you there is no ill will, I offer you a discount on my wares."

Shepard nodded, purchased what she needed and returned to Kenn, who was very grateful for her assistance. He said it would be much easier to come up the final 1000 credits that he needed now that he could lower his prices.

"Here, take this," she said handing him double the credits he needed. "Leave this pit."

Kenn was in shock. "Thank you. I cannot tell you what this means to me; to be able to continue on my pilgrimage. I will never forget what you have done for me," he said earnestly and took off to go buy his ticket.

"You have the softest heart in the galaxy, Shepard," Jacob said with a shake of his head.

"Trust me when I tell you a big heart can be a great burden, it tends to bleed. Being covered in gore is not a becoming look." she said shaking her head.

As they continued to explore she came upon a back entrance to Afterlife. Legion looked around and said, "We do not understand the organic fascination with self poisoning, auditory damage and sexually transmitted disease."

"It's a form of escapism, Legion. Emotions can be…inefficient, messy. When emotions run high, good or bad, organics tend to seek ways to revel in them or release them. I've been known to have a drink now and again, but the other two…never could comprehend the need for those," she said with a shrug.

Shepard looked around the bar. Something felt wrong. She closed her eyes, focused herself and opened them. Auras danced and bloomed, rainbowing around her. Then she found the _wrong_. One of the bartenders had an ugly, dark mottled aura that seethed hatred. Interesting, she thought. She released her focus and walked over to the bartender to investigate. Maybe she could get him to talk. She ordered a drink. When she downed it, her heart seized and the world went dark.

Jacob saw his commander go still. She turned to him, eyes large…in shock. She grabbed her chest and fell. He caught her before she hit the ground, picked her up in his arms and flew to the bathroom. "I'm sorry, Shepard," he said and put his finger down her throat until nothing more came up. She still didn't move. He brought her out into the hall, to get her out of the filthy bathrooms. "Are you okay, Shepard?" He helped her up when she nodded.

"Alcohol is toxic to most carbon-based organs. This reaction seems to exceed expected parameters," Legion stated.

"What happened? The last thing I remember is taking a drink." she asked.

A man walked up to them. "I saw everything. That particular bartender hates humans. He has a stick up his ass about some batarians that died awhile back ago. But nobody does a thing about him because humans aren't held in high regard around here."

"He tried to poison me?"

"Tried is right. You are the first human I know of to survive it. My friend Jake and I were celebrating. He got real drunk and an hour later he was puking blood," he said sadly.

"He won't be a problem anymore," she said darkly.

Jacob noticed Shepard's cold smile. "What is on your mind?"

"I think he needs a taste of his own medicine," she said.

"Give that batarian bastard what he deserves!" said the stranger as he walked away laughing.

Shepard's face was set…her pace determined as she made her way back to the bar.

When she found the bartender he offered her a drink…on the house. She pushed it towards the bartender and told him to drink it.

"No…you should be…no. I won't drink it," he said shocked, when he realized who she was.

"You _will _drink it or I will blind you one eye at a time before I kill you," she promised him.

The bartender grabbed the drink quickly and downed it. He gasped and fell to his death. She's not sure how many humans he's killed in this way, but she sure wished he could have suffered longer.

A nearby turian nodded to them and said, "That bastard deserved what he got…This shit tastes like poison anyway."

"Let's go find Aria; we've probably kept her waiting long enough," she said with a smile. She headed up the back stairs towards the main floor of Afterlife. On the way there she ran into an old acquaintance. Helena Blake. She'd killed two criminal warlords for her and talked her into retiring. Shepard was concerned about seeing her on Omega.

"Commander Shepard, I'd heard you were dead! I'm not sure if you remember me, but I'm Helena Blake - "

"I remember…what brings you to Omega?" Shepard inquired.

"What brings anyone to Omega?" Helena asked. "I find the place suits me. I can bring it a certain… air of civility, I suppose."

"I thought I _convinced_ you to retire?"

"Oh no...I did retire. I know better than to go back on my word to a Spectre. You convinced me to turn my life around. I'm a social worker, believe it or not," she assured Shepard.

"Then you have your work cut out for you in a place like this," Shepard replied.

"Doing good work in a place like this requires that one understands how things truly work. Which makes me uniquely qualified." Helena smiled.

"That's…more noble than I expected," Shepard admitted.

"Noble? No. it's just that someone came along a few years ago and convinced me that I could use my skills for a better purpose…and I thank you for that," she said earnestly.

Shepard nodded. "I need to go. Keep up the good work." She turned and headed through the back door into Afterlife.

As she went up the stairs to meet Aria, one of her flunkies stopped her for a scan. She looked him up and down and walked past him. "I've heard you are the one I need to talk to. Do you run Omega?"

The asari looked at her and laughed. "I _am_ Omega. Omega has no titled ruler and only one law. Don't FUCK with Aria."

Shepard nodded.

"If I have to remind you I will toss your sorry ass - " Garka said.

Shepard looked at the batarian, held her hand up, hit him with a sonic blast, throwing the batarian against the wall unable to move, she flicked her bat, coiled it around his arm and pulled down, flipping him upside down, causing credits and debris to rain from his pockets. Then she righted him and released him. "I don't like threats. You'd do well to remember that. Now collect your shit and go," she ordered.

Aria looked at Shepard a moment, calculating. She had never seen anyone react so quickly and precisely. She would have to keep an eye on that one. Shepard was strong …and pretty. And she appreciated both those qualities. When her gaze fell on Garka she burst out laughing. "You're my kind of woman Shepard…we might just get along after all. What do you need?"

"I'm trying to track down Archangel."

"You and half of Omega," she said. "You want him dead too?"

"Why is everyone after him?" Shepard asked.

"He thinks he's fighting on the side of good. There's no good side to Omega," Aria pointed out. "Everything he does pisses someone off. It's catching up to him."

"Just the kind of guy I'm looking for," Shepard said with interest.

"Really? Well, aren't you interesting!" Aria said with a chuckle.

"I'm more interesting than you will ever know," Shepard said with a crooked smile.

Aria's painted eyebrow rose. "You're going to make some enemies teaming up with Archangel. That's assuming you can get to him. He's in a bit of trouble right now."

"What kind of trouble?"

"The local merc groups have joined forces to take him down. They've got him cornered, but it sounds like they're having trouble finishing him off. They've started hiring anybody with a gun to help them," Aria replied.

"Sounds like that might be our ticket in," Jacob said.

"They're using a private room for recruiting…just over there," she said pointing her to where she would need to go. "I'm sure they'll sign you up."

"I appreciate your help," Shepard told her.

"See if you still feel that way when the mercs realize you're here to help him," Aria said with a smile.

Oh, she'd feel that way all right…Things were about to get interesting.


	3. OneTurianWoman Ch20-27Archangel-Haestrom

Garrus-femShep

Chapter 20

Archangel

Well, time was up for her. She needed to pick up Mordin, but Archangel was on borrowed time. And while she knew Archangel, as a tactical genius and infiltrator could only benefit her team, she had wanted to put off getting him because she wasn't sure how she felt about having another turian on her team. She seemed to have a bit of a soft spot for them. Nilhus, Garrus, Qui'in…Of course, the turian Councilor, Sparatus, was not on that list, she thought with a shiver. But Garrus had been at the top of it and her feelings were still too raw. Seeing another turian standing at her side was going to be a hard pill to swallow. Archangel had big shoes to fill.

They exited Aria's loft, and headed over to the right where the recruiting merc stood.

"I hear you're recruiting," she said.

"Hmm. Why don't you step inside?" the batarian said, waving her to the door.

Another batarian was talking to a recruit when she walked in.

"You'll get paid when the job's done, just like everyone else," the batarian informed him. "Who's next?"

"Weeell… Aren't you sweet?" the batarian said after he gave her a good once over.

"I'm far sweeter and more talented than you will ever know," she told him with a calculated smile. "But that has no bearing on my abilities. My enemies always fall."

The batarian's mouth dropped open. He shook his head to clear it. "I see," he said pulling at the collar of his armor. "So you are here to fight, then?" he asked in disappointment. He couldn't stop wondering just how talented she was. Damn it! He would have to take a brief break when she left, the bulge in his pants was demanding and painful.

"Absolutely, I will do _whatever_ it takes to win," she assured him.

The batarian nodded and moved uncomfortably. "Standard fee is 500 credits each. You get paid when the job's done. If you die, your friends don't collect your share. You'll need your own weapons and armor…looks like you've got that covered. And no, this does not make a member of the Blue Suns, Eclipse, or the Blood Pack you are a freelancer. Period. Any questions?" he asked.

"Just one…how do I get there?"

"Head over to the transport depot outside the club. One of our boys will take you from there," he told her. "Send in the next one and then I'm taking a quick break."

Shepard was appalled to see a kid walk through the door. She asked him what he thought he was doing. He'd told her he grew up on Omega and knew how to handle himself. He'd just spent 50 credits on this pistol and he intended to use it. Shepard grabbed the gun, smacked its targeting VI until it sparked and told the kid to get his money back. Then, she smiled at him.

"Trust me, kid. You'll thank me later," she said and turned away. Both the kid and the batarian had been treated to her smile and they just stared dazed as she walked out the door. Then the batarian turned and fled into the closest empty room.

They wound their way through the sleazy bar. As they were exiting the holographic fire tunnel of Afterlife, a batarian stood up and confronted her. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing until now," she said. "But it looks to me like a fool suffering from head-ass-itis. Now get out of my way or I will walk all over you," she said coldly.

"Who do you think you are?" he asked, putting a gun in her face.

"Commander Shepard…Spectre…and you _don't _want to go there," she warned.

"Your odds of survival just dropped down to 2.64%," Legion stated.

The batarian blanched and backed up. "I..uh..don't want any trouble, I'll just be going. Come on," he said to his friends. One of them, stupider than the rest, brought his hand across his throat threatening her.

She sighed, grabbed her bat, flicked it, buttons flew from his pants, and his pants fell to his ankles. Oh gross…she thought…did his balls have to sag so low? "You might want to get that fixed," she said as grabbed for his pants and stumbled off after his friends.

"I will never unsee that," she said in horror - regretting, for the first time, that she had an eidetic memory.

"And neither will I," Jacob said disgusted. "Thank you, Shepard."

She approached the batarian at the transport depot and he gave them a lift to their destination.

"It's about time they sent me someone who looks like they can actually fight. They tell you what you're up against?" Salkie asked.

"The recruiter was a little vague."

"We wouldn't get many hires if everyone knew the truth," Salkie admitted.

The attack was taking place at Archangel's base across a bridge. The bridge was a killing ground. The rest of his team had been dealt with; Archangel himself was proving to be more difficult. No one had been able to make it through his defenses. The three major rival crime bosses were working together to bring him down. They were to be part of a distraction team, a decoy to keep Archangel busy while the infiltration team flanked him. Diggers and bombers are getting into place to try to get through the passageways Archangel sealed off. They also had a gunship Archangel damaged. As soon as it was repaired, they would go after him again. Archangel was running out of time.

She looked at Jacob. "You are my good-luck giver this mission. Will you allow me a kiss?" she asked him. He nodded and she placed her hand on the back of his neck and slid her lips softly over his. "Thank you," she told him.

Jacob grew hard as a stone. Damn. Her kisses, no matter how innocently given, were as heady as her smiles. How would any man survive this woman?

She entered a side door and discovered a huge YMIR mech; she hacked into it and corrupted its ability to know friend from foe. She just hoped she was nowhere near it when it was activated.

"This unit cannot distinguish between ally and enemy," Legion stated.

She met with all three bosses. She wanted to know them on sight. She took out Sergeant Cathka, the batarian repairing the gunship. She hated having to do it, he wasn't even armed. It didn't sit well with her moral code. But she was running out of time and so was Archangel. It was going to be hard enough getting them all out alive without adding a gunship to the mix.

She followed the distraction team. released Grim and started picking them off half way across the bridge. Two fell on the bridge. She entered the ground floor of the base. One took her shields before she could even spot his hiding place. The final two were on the second floor trying to break into the room Archangel was fighting from. Grim distracted them and made their life a painful hell until she put them out of their misery. She advanced on the room. With any luck, they'd all make it out of here alive.

He had no place left to run. The bridge that kept him relatively safe from the mercs also kept him from leaving. He was trapped. He thought back to all the things his wife had tried to teach him, all the things his dad had tried to drill into him, things he hadn't wanted to hear. Things he wished he'd taken to heart or not lost sight of. Lessons he'd learned too late. What happened here was his fault. He couldn't apologize to his wife; it was too late for that. But he could call his father.

"Dad."

"Garrus? Is that you? What's that noise?"

"Target Practice."

"Then call me back later," his father said briskly.

"I don't think I'll be able to…too many targets," Garrus admitted. "I just wanted to hear your voice. And I wanted to tell you that you were right about things…a lot more than I gave you credit for."

"Forget about that. These targets…they're moving fast?" his father asked.

"Not yet, but they're learning," Garrus told him.

"No matter how bad things are falling apart around you, as long as you have one bullet left you can still get the job done. Understand?" his father asked. "You finish up what you need to do there and then you come on home to Palaven. We have a lot to sort out."

""Yeah, we do. Thanks, dad. For everything," Garrus said. Garrus sighted down his gun for another shot. The N7 logo popped up in his scope. N7? Alliance? He raised the scope up until it rested on the face of a ghost. No, it can't be her. She's dead. He was just seeing what he wanted to see. But N7…that was Alliance and he might just make it out of here alive after all. "I have to go now. Don't worry about me…I'll make it home when I can. The odds just go a lot better," Garrus said and disconnected from his father. When he peered back through his scope he could not find the N7 armor again. He wondered if he imagined it all. Then he heard her voice and his world stopped for just a second. He needed a moment to get himself together. He held his hand up and sighted down the barrel and took the head off a merc that had been sneaking in.

"Archangel?" she repeated.

He removed his helmet and turned to face her. He had to see her. He had to touch her. He had to know she was real. He walked up to her, studied her face. She smiled at him and he was lost. No one had a smile like that. This was his wife. Somehow. Alive. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I thought you were dead," he said, barely able to squeeze the words from his tight throat. He ran his hands up her back, cupped her face, tilted it up and kissed her, reveling in the feel of her lips, her tongue against his. Something he thought he'd never feel again. He was whole again…alive again…he felt the merging of his old self with his new self. For the first time in a long time he had a future…something to live for.

Shepard felt her heart squeeze painfully when the turian removed his helmet and turned around. My god it was Garrus. Her best friend…her husband. A man she thought lost to her. She felt a hopeful smile spread over her lips. When he reached her side he pulled her into his arms. She clung to him afraid to let go. Afraid she would wake up or he would disappear again. Then, she felt his mouth against hers, his tongue seeking entrance. This was the first kiss he ever initiated. A kiss she would never forget. "You're alive," she whispered. "You disappeared, no one could find you. I searched…I thought – I thought…" her voice trailed off.

"And I saw you die, vela. It appears we have a lot of catching up to do. And if you can get me out of this alive, I'll make sure we do it…er – I mean catch up. Perhaps both."

"Definitely both! What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"Just keeping my skill sharp. A little target practice," he said. "Killing mercs is hard work...Especially on my own.

"Why Omega?"

"I got fed up with all the bureaucratic crap on the Citadel. Figured I could do more good on my own. At least it's not hard finding criminals here. All I have to do is point my gun and shoot," he said with a shake of his head.

"How'd you manage to piss off every major merc organization in the Terminus Systems?"

"It wasn't easy. I _really_ had to work at it. I'm amazed they teamed up to fight me. They must _really_ hate me."

"No wonder I couldn't find you…_Archangel_."

"It's just a name the locals gave me for all of my good deeds. I don't mind it, but please," he cleared his throat.., "Hmm…it's just _Garrus _to you."

"Okay…just Garrus. But I'm also partial to big guy...lover...husband..."

Garrus' mandibles flared. "I stand corrected. I've missed hearing lover and husband from your lips." He said running an armored finger gently over her lips. He heard someone clear their throat and glanced over at her team. "Vela...Cerberus? A geth?" he asked shocked. "Seems there is a lot we need to talk about."

"This is Jacob and Legion. We'll do more thorough introductions later," she told them all.

Garrus nodded at them both and as much as it pained him to do so, he stepped away from his wife. "We should see what they're up to." He picked up his rifle and held the scope to his eye. "Hmmm…looks like they know their infiltration team failed. Take a look," he said handing her his gun. "Scouts. Eclipse, I think."

She scoped the group below and noted a few mechs coming in. She blew the head off the closest mech. "More than scouts. One less now though."

"We better get ready. They'll hit us hard, but we can do a lot of damage from up here." He paused a moment…"Do you still – er…hmm…have your," he cleared his throat, "good luck system?"

She gave him a bright smile. "Yes, I do... I-" She did a quick aura check. "You are my new good luck giver, Garrus. Will you accept my kiss?"

"Always." He pulled her in and placed his mouth against her soft lips.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"My pleasure," he said before turning his attention back to the atrium.

Legion sent his drone after the mercs and expanded his Widow. They greeted the mercs will a volley of bullets…very accurate bullets. She told Grim to go have fun and pulled her sniper. Wave after wave of mercs poured over the wall and met their fate.

Grim circled Garrus. "It is good to see you alive and well, Garrus. Ari was moping around day and night..."

"Grim! That's not what I meant by 'go have fun'!" Shepard bellowed between rounds, mortified by his blabbermouth.

"You should have specified, Ari." Grim twirled and beat a fast retreat, darting towards the mercs...which he felt was a safer place to be right at this moment.

Garrus' mandibles flared as he took the head off another merc. "Good to see you too Grim and I'm no stranger to moping myself."

Shepard couldn't stop her eyes from returning to Garrus. She'd missed him so much. "I love you, husband."

Garrus plucked the gun from her hands, spun her around and kissed her with all the love he had inside. He pulled back and put his forehead against hers. "I never thought I'd hear you say that again. I love you, vela. I have always loved you."

"That is real sweet and all, but we're in the middle of a fight here…and there is a very large YMIR that has just been activated. Care to help out?" Jacob asked impatiently.

"That problem will take care of itself…but for god's sake, don't shoot it," she warned was the reason she had not deployed her combat drone or turret. They would have fired on the YMIR.

The YMIR mech began firing at the mercs. "Yes!" Jacob yelled.

Garrus had thought he could never be happier than when he saw Shepard alive and in his arms…but it is astounding the power those three little words can wield. She was this beautiful ray of light in the darkness that had been his world since he saw her die. He released her and returned her gun to her. He needed this fight over with because he finally had a life worth getting back to…and he could not get back to it fast enough.

When the YMIR exploded they worked together to bring down the rest of the Eclipse. Jaroth, the leader was the last to fall. Garrus had told her he'd been after him for months. He shipped a lot of tainted eezo all over Citadel space. He'd taken out a big shipment and his top lieutenant, so he wasn't surprised Jaroth was willing to work with the other gangs.

"Considering the lieutenant was his brother? You were square at the top of his shit-list."

"His brother? Guess I kicked him where it hurt," he said with a chuckle.

A loud noise shook the place.

"What the hell was that?" Jacob asked.

Garrus checked readings on his omni-tool. "Damn, they've breached the lower levels. Guess they had to use their brains eventually."

"Jacob and I will go down and take care of it. Legion, stay here with Garrus. Take care and be safe."

"Shepard-" Garrus said. "I only just got you back…I couldn't take losing you again. I couldn't-" His voice cracked and he couldn't continue.

"You won't lose me. We'll be careful," she assured hm. She gave Jacob a nod and they headed for the stairs.

Garrus watched her go with a heavy heart. He should be at her side. But he knew he was needed here to keep mercs off the bridge and he knew she'd never send her team into an unknown danger without her.

She went down the stairs and through the door behind them. She could see the problem right away. The shutter doors had been hacked open. She ran to the back door and slapped the green pad. Mercs appeared before the door timer could close it. She sent a sonic shockwave at the mercs and peppered them with bullets.

"There are two more doors, Shepard. Be careful," Garrus told her. By the time they'd made it to the second door the room had been overrun with mercs and verran. The fight was tough. Her shields went down a number of times. When they were down to two mercs left she made a break for the door pad. More were coming hot on the heels of the first group. Her shields were down, she needed a few moments…she didn't get them. One lucky bullet made it past her armor and into her arm. Shit! It was pouring blood; by its location she had no doubt it had nicked an artery. Her shields were still down another bullet pierced her side. The door slid shut and she stumbled to the wall. That was too close. She pulled off her upper armor. She needed to get the bullets out. The wound on her right side was a through and through. It had passed through her armor and her side and got lodged in the rear armor plating at her back. That one would heal fine. The wound on her left arm, not so good. Garrus was yelling that she needed to get to the third door fast…damn it. She removed her right glove, gritted her teeth, and shoved her fingers into the bullet hole to retrieve the bullet. The white hot pain sent a scream ripping out of her. Jacob came running over.

"Arianna!" Garrus yelled as he headed for the stairs.

"Stay there! I need you to stay there. It's done now, I'm fine," she said as she threw the bullet across the room.

Garrus could hear the tremor in her voice. She wasn't fine, damn her. Why do people always lie about things like that?

"She's right, Garrus. You are needed at your post. Do not let us get overrun up there. She's fine now and we are counting on you," Jacob told him sincerely.

Damn it. Every part of him needed to be near her…protect her. Knowing she'd been hurt made the need even worse. But Jacob was right, they needed him here. He returned to his post. Every step away from his wife tore at him painfully.

Jacob was stunned by what he just saw. He had a whole new level of respect for the Commander. The wound in her side was scabbing and the arm wound was only seeping blood since the bullet had been removed. He'd never seen anyone do what she had done or heal that fast.

'I trust that you will keep whatever you think you just saw to yourself?" Shepard asked him with a cocked brow.

"I – yes, ma'am," he told her, gave her a hand up and helped her with her armor.

She and Jacob made a dash to the third door. These mercs had cover behind half-wall partitions. But they stood up to fire and gave them clean shots. They mowed down all the guys in the first hall. As she approached the blind corner, she sent in Grim. Her OT chimed. She released Grim again.

"There are two mercs, one is holding a firespray and is quick to use it."

"Go in camouflaged, circle around behind them and distract them."

"Of course, Ari. I am capable of learning from my mistakes." He flashed and disappeared.

When she heard the commotion she jumped the wall and fired an amped overload chain. She took great pleasure raining bullets all over their twitching asses. She jumped a second partition and ran to the far door and slapped the pad. Garrus commed her and told her they were being overrun and to hurry back.

They shot through the door, guns drawn. She fired a sonic blast and palmed her bats, one heated one cooled. She took out three mercs when the two krogen made a dash for the stairs. The other men had been fodder while they went after Garrus. There were only two mercs left downstairs. She threw an overload charge, hitting one of them. "Can you handle these two?" she asked Jacob.

"With pleasure…go kick some krogan ass!" he told her.

She bounded up the stairs in the krogans' wake.

"Automated flight weaponry deployed," Legion said as it released its drone. She shot a sonic blast at the krogan. He turned around to face her, the other charged Garrus. She fired a cryo blast at the charging krogan to slow him down. The krogan facing her laughed and charged. She waited for the last second and did a flip to the side. His momentum carried him forward, he rebounded off the wall and fell back onto his ass. He growled in fury and she laughed. Legion's drone started shooting electrical bolts at him and then Grim joined in on the fun as he struggled to get back on his feet. She hit him with a sonic blast, which tossed him against another wall. The drones shot past her and continued to fire bolts at the krogan.

Garrus and Legion had already taken care of the other krogan and Jacob tore up the stairs behind her. She fired a sonic blast at him and held it. He was held firmly against the wall, growled obscenities at her, and told her just what he planned to do to her in great detail. She grabbed her bat, flicked it, it coiled around his arm and she pulled, inverting him. Garrus stormed up to the inverted Krogan and stared him in the eye. "That is where you are wrong, Garm," he seethed. "Your filthy hands will _never_ touch my wife." He lifted his gun and shot the krogan point blank in the eye.

She dropped the corpse and sent Garrus a sultry wink.

Garrus walked up to Shepard. His heart thundered; his relief that she was okay was immense. The need to touch her consumed him. He captured her head in his hands, lowered his mouth to hers, and slipped his tongue between her lips.

There were things she had to tell him…but right now she met him with equal abandon, her tongue twined with his…dancing, stroking, igniting.

The whirl of the gunship's motor broke through her haze and she pulled him down behind the sofa for cover. They looked at each other a brief moment, unsnapped their guns, and then turned to face the window as the gunship dropped troops inside. She threw overload charges at the gunship until it backed off. Then she joined the fight against the mercs. When the last one fell she looked over and noticed Garrus was no longer fighting at her side.

The gunship was pulling back. The mercs were nearly down; he moved off and followed the sounds of the gunship into another room. It would surely be dropping off more mercs. He needed to let Shepard know where he was. "Ari, head over into the next room, I think the gunship-"

"Archangel!" Tarak yelled over his loud speaker.

Garrus spun around as a litany of bullets tore into his shields. He dropped to the ground and crawled behind a large planter. His shields were down, he just needed a few moments for them to come back online. There.

"This ends now!" Tarak screamed, firing a rocket in through the open window. A second one followed in its wake.

"Oh crap!" Garrus rolled to the side. He needed to run.

Shepard slammed into him, propelling them both several feet before dropping on top of him, she pushed her shield out to cover him. "Rockets! Grim." Though she wasn't sure the drone heard her.

The first rocket detonated, absorbed by her shields, the second detonated a moment later, white hot pain seared through him and his body was flung by the force of the explosion. He landed hard, gasping to breathe, because his wife had not let go of him. He could faintly hear her calling out to him. He tried to focus on her voice. He heard more rockets being fired and waited for the worst.

Grim deployed 8 missiles and sent bolts at the gunship. The gunship went up in a ball of flames. "Take out those mercs!" She screamed at her team.

"Garrus! I'm here. We're going to get out of this." She was bleeding all over him. "I just got you back…I'm not letting you go. Do you understand me, Garrus?" she asked as she pulled off her armored gloves. "Radio Joker; make sure they're ready for us!"

Garrus opened his eyes in shock as she gently turned him over. The pain…the cold…he was so cold. He needed to tell her. "Love y-" he sighed and his eyes closed.

"We better hurry, he looks bad. You don't look so great yourself, Commander." Jacob said as he gave them both another round of medi-gel.

"I'll be fine. You're not leaving me, Garrus. I won't let you!" She placed one hand on his the healthy side of his neck and place her other hand gently to the scorched neck of shattered side of his face. She closed her eyes, merged their auras and pushed all her energy, all her strength, all her love into him.

When the shuttle arrived and the bed hovered into view, she refused to break contact with him as they loaded him onto the bed. She carefully crawled onto the bed with him and straddled his prone form, continuing to pour everything she was into him.

The frustrated medics worked around her. They removed his armored gloves and put a line in each hand, one with turian blood, the other with medi-bac and dextro-nutrients.

Garrus' face had mended enough that his bleeding had stopped. She, however, did not stop. She felt herself growing a bit lightheaded, but it didn't matter. The medics pushed their bed from the shuttle into the med-bay where Dr. Chakwas was ready and waiting. Everything laid out for immediate surgery.

The medics began to remove his armor, around her…much to their displeasure. She looked into Chakwas' concerned face. "He's my lifemate," she said simply.

"Of course, Commander." The doctor said, her mind going in several different directions at the same time. "I need to be able to attend his wound," she pointed out gently.

Shepard nodded. With the armor removed, she took her hand from the injured side of his neck and pulled up his protective undershirt, she rested her hand on the skin of his belly. When her contact was firm, she removed her other hand from the other side of his neck and placed it next to her other one. She kept her face averted. She couldn't bear to watch what the doctor was doing to him. She laid her cheek against the flesh of his belly between her hands. She kept her eyes closed and continued to pour her essence into him. Her body slumped and she was pulled away him. She tried to move back, but she had no strength left to fight.

"You must let him go now. You need to eat and sleep, allow yourself some time to recharge." The doctor admonished with care.

She nodded weakly, her eyes closed; she was given a dose of medi-gel and allowed herself to be picked up. She was carried to her cabin and laid in her bed. A nutri-bac bar was shoved into her hand and she gagged it down. A second followed. God, they were nasty. A third. "Are you trying to kill me? These things taste like shit." She groused.

She heard a chuckle and felt another dose of medi-gel hit her system. She drifted off to sleep, too tired to do anything else. When she awoke she was alone, but there was a tray of food left for her on the table. She grabbed a few bites and headed for the shower. She was still feeling a bit drained, but could at least function now. She took a brief shower, hit the quick dry, threw on a royal blue dress and sapphire belly ring. She grabbed another handful of food and headed out the door. The doctor refused to allow her entrance to see Garrus, she knew her too well. She did, however, tell Shepard how much her ministrations had helped in Garrus' healing.

She nodded and left the med-bay. She told EDI to have Jacob meet her in the comm room.

"Right away, Shepard." EDI responded.

By the time she got to the comm room, Jacob was already there. They discussed the mission and she questioned him about the things he might have seen. He reassured her that anything he might have seen was not his business and he would leave it at that. She nodded gratefully and thanked him. He went on to talk about Garrus' prognosis, since she'd been unable to see him.

"The doctor has done all she could for Garrus, but he took a bad hit." Jacob said carefully. "Best we can tell he'll have full functionality, but…"

The doors slid open and Garrus walked in. "Vela," he said softly.

Jacob shook his head. "Tough son of a bitch. Didn't think he'd be up yet."

Shepard smiled in relief when she saw him.

Garrus just looked at her a moment. Letting the effects of her smile wear off. He cleared his throat. "Nobody would give me a mirror. How bad is it?"

"They did what they could, but you are going to have some scars…I'm sorry," she said, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"Hey – don't cry for me," he said, walking over to her. "Some women find facial scars attractive…Mind you, most of those women are krogan…" He sighed. "All I really care about is what you think."

Jacob felt things were going to get a bit too personal for him. He saluted and left the pair alone.

"Garrus, I love you. Scars could never change how I feel about you," she assured him.

He nodded in relief. He looked down at the floor and then back at her. "I'm worried about you. Cerberus, Shepard? You remember those sick experiments they were doing?"

"I could never forget. That's one of the reasons I'm glad I found you, lover. If I'm walking into hell, there is no one I'd rather have at my side than you."

"You realize this plan has me walking into hell, too. Hah. Just like old times," he said with a chuckle. He moved in closer and pulled her into his arms. "There is no place I'd rather be than at your side."

"I don't know, Garrus…I kind of hoped you'd rather be inside of me," she said seductively.

Garrus groaned and grew instantly hard. He molded her to him and ground himself into her soft belly. "It appears I stand corrected." He looked around the room and sighed. He placed a gentle kiss upon her lips and pulled away. "There are too many eyes and ears in this room, no doubt. Find me when you can…we need to talk. Until then I'll be at the forward batteries." He gave her a long, heated look, turned and walked out the door.

"Shepard, please come to the med-bay, I need to speak with you."

"Right away, doc."

When she walked into the med-bay the doctor gave her a hard look. "Take a seat, Commander. We need to talk."

Uh-oh. She sat down and the doctor sat down across from her. "Hit me with it, doc."

"I made an interesting discovery when I was treating Garrus. First off, Garrus is showing remarkable healing. I was all set to put him under the knife and even add cybernetics to help him maintain proper functionality. But imagine my surprise to see him well on his way to being healed. I just gave him medigel and a bandage to support his mandible while he healed. Second, he's underweight and he doesn't respond to dextro-nutrients…And before you start theorizing, he responded to levo-nutrients. The amino acids that compromise his protein chains have reversed chirality."

She could not have heard worse news. It meant only one thing. "Oh, god. I've infected him." He must have had an abrasion along his gum line when he bit me. It would have been the only way he could come into contact with my blood before it left my body. "Screen his blood weekly, run a panel. We need to stay on top of this. See if any more anomalies occur."

Chakwas cocked an eyebrow and chuckled. "I'm aware of what my job entails, Commander."

"Sorry, doc…you can take the girl out of the lab…" Shepard shot Chakwas a worried look. "There's no kill-switch, doc. What have I done?"

"Perhaps, in the end, you will find that you have done more good than harm to him."

"I need to speak with him. Thank you, doc…for bringing this to my attention. It is right that I be the one to tell him."

"Oh, Commander? Try not to let anyone else bite you."

"Oh…you are a real hoot, doc." She couldn't help the shiver that raced down her spine. She had an Achilles heel now, but at least she was aware of it.

Chapter 21

The Talk

She left the med-bay, headed out to the CIC deck. She was waved over by Kelly. "How is our newest turian crew member doing? His injuries looked painful." Kelly asked.

"He's been through a lot…and not just physically," Shepard told her.

"There's just something about him. I just want to hold him close and whisper, 'It will be all right,'" Kelly said solemnly.

Shepard looked at her a moment…don't even think about it… and then nodded. "I know what you mean. I'm just not sure how much he'd appreciate the gesture," Shepard told her honestly.

"You two would make such a cute couple…" she sighed. "But scuttlebutt says he's already taken," Kelly said.

Shepard beamed a smile at her. "My thoughts exactly." And she turned and headed for the mess. She piled a platter high with food.

Kelly stood there stunned for a moment. They weren't kidding when they told her to watch out for that smile. Kelly shook her head to clear it. She knew Shepard and Garrus had worked with each other on the previous Normandy. Perhaps Shepard was the girl that had stolen Garrus' heart. She could certainly see why. It would be all too easy to fall under that one's spell. Kelly mused as she returned to her console.

On his way to the forward battery he passed some crew members talking about the Commander and how she was changing. He had to agree, he'd never seen her run around the ship in something other than camouflage…unless she was going to work out. And damn what a dress she had on. She had been wearing his clan colors…or at least what there had been to the dress anyway. Her breasts had been covered…mostly and her very low skirt was held on only by long, dangling clip cords. As soon as he walked into the comm room he'd been lost and hard as stone. Thankfully, Jacob had been there or he might not have been able to stop himself despite the cameras in that room.

He walked into the forward battery and he was in gun heaven. He put his things up and looked around him at the array of sensors and consoles. The massive instruments at the base of the equally massive guns begged for his attention. This was definitely an improvement over the previous Normandy. He couldn't wait to get to work learning this new system and working his magic on it. But, he knew once he started very little would be able to pull him away from it. His OT received a comm.

"Garrus, we need to talk. Will you come to my cabin? It's the only place I've cleared of surveillance so far. I'll be right there."

Garrus was relieved that she still stocked turian brandy. He wasn't sure why she did. Tali wasn't here and there were no other turians on board, but he was thankful nonetheless. He poured himself a cup and sat on the sofa. He jumped up and began to pace. He gulped the brandy down and poured another cup. His mind was whirling there was so much he wanted to say to her, to ask her…to do to her. When the door swished open he nearly dropped his glass. He finished it off and put it down. He turned to face her.

She placed the tray of food on the table, walked up to him and put her arms around him. He stilled for a moment and then wrapped his arms around her. His armor was hard and charred. She pulled back and looked up at him. "Do you still have a body suit under all that armor?" she asked him. He nodded. "Good. I know that you don't have any other clothing here yet, but that armor is extremely…hard. Would you be offended if I asked you to remove it? I miss being able to snuggle up to you," she said softly.

As he began to remove his armor she took his glass and refilled it. She then poured herself a glass of asari honeymead. She took both glasses and placed them on the table in front of the sofas. When he was down to just his blue undersuit she pulled the thin gloves off his hands and tossed them on the chair, then she took his hand and led him to the sofa. He sat down and she crawled up on his lap, mindful of his leg spurs and sat down with her back against the sofa's deep arm. She reached over to the table, gabbed their glasses and handed him his. He wrapped his left arm around her back held his drink in his right hand that rested upon her thighs.

Garrus was thankful to have the glass in his hand, for his hand wanted nothing more than to slide up her thigh and do things it had no business doing when they had so much to talk about first.

She snuggled up to his chest a moment, one hand grasping her glass, the other drawing absent patterns along the front of his carapace. She had missed moments like this so much. She sighed and sat back against the arm of the sofa so she could look at him. She reached her hand up and gently touched the bandage on right side of his face. "I'm sorry I could not keep you from being hurt," she said softly.

"It was my choice to leave the safety of the team. But you were there when I needed you and probably kept me from being killed." He looked at her intently. "Everyone on this ship has told me what you did for me. How you gave everything you had to keep me alive. That you had been willing to give too much. I'm grateful, but please don't ever go that far again."

She placed her fingers on the uninjured side of his mouth to still it. "Before you say something like that, ask yourself what you would do if I were injured."

He grew silent a moment. He knew he'd do everything in his power and then some if she were hurt. He had no right to tell her to do less. He nodded his understanding, even if he didn't like it. "Why is it that you showed up when you did? What brought you to search me out? And why are you with Cerberus?" He asked.

"I guess that's as good as any place to start," she said. "Liara, Legion and a drell named Feron stole my body from the Shadow Broker, who was going to sell it to the Collectors, and gave it to Cerberus. It took nearly two years of work, but they were able to revive me. When I came to, the station I was on was under attack. Apparently, the Shadow Broker found out about me and wanted me dead again. We escaped the facility and I was taken to see their Cerberus leader…or at least see his holo. He explained to me that hundreds of thousands of human colonists have vanished. Whole colonies missing. The Alliance wasn't doing anything about it. He told me that is why he brought me back. He felt the only hope of saving humanity and the rest of the galaxy was through me. No pressure…mind you. I went to Freedom's Progress and discovered it was Collectors that were abducting the colonists. I agreed to go after the Collectors. He gave me a ship, supplies and dossiers on the best of the best, so that I could build the perfect team to go after the Collectors and take them out. One of those dossiers was on Archangel. That is why I showed up when I did," she explained.

He thought over her words for a moment and then nodded. "I am thankful I made such a name for myself…I might not have found you again…in time."

"There are things I need to tell you. You know about my… about my sense of touch, how I can feel emotions. You also know about how I can see and manipulate auras, how I can share…feelings, sensations." She stopped for a moment, her mind going back to the time in Garrus' arms, his touch…his tongue…butterfly wings…her heart slammed in her chest as desire whipped through her. She took deep, shaky breaths trying to calm herself.

Spirits. Garrus remembered those sensations all too well. He went to sleep every night the last two years remembering the feel of her, the taste of her…the sensations she gave to him when she merged them into one being. He could feel her hand moving absently up and down on his legspur and his shaft jerked in response. He was hard as stone, breath erratic, heart thundering, and talking was the last thing he had on his mind right now.

They looked at each other and they knew their time was up. Talking would come later. Right now it was their time. A time years in the making. He leaned over her and placed his glass on the table. He took hers from her hand and placed it next to his. He ran his hand up the back of her thigh, over her ass and unsnapped the back of her skirt. He moved his hand, careful of his talons, around to the front of her skirt and unsnapped the two thin bands of material that held her skirt up. She lifted her hips a little and he slid the skirt down her legs. She gave a small kick and it pooled onto the floor.

She repositioned herself to where she straddled his hips. She reached up and pulled off his visor, setting it on the table behind her. "I've waited so long for this, Garrus. I'm - " she flushed, "so wet for you right now," she admitted.

His shaft jerked painfully and swelled. He groaned. "Do you know what you do to me?" He ran his hands up the back of her thighs, sunk them into the soft flesh of her ass and pulled her into him, rubbing her against his hardness. "Every time I'm around you, I'm hard as stone, wanting to bury myself inside of you."

"Every time?" She asked seductively, rubbing up against him. "If I had known, you'd have been mine that much sooner…But it seems to me that you have me at a disadvantage. I still don't know what a turian looks like naked, it was rather dark when we made love…care to teach me about turian anatomy and how to make you writhe in pleasure?" She ran her hand down the magnetic snaps of his protective undershirt and it fell away. She slid her hands along the sides of his carapace to his shoulders and then down his arms, taking the shirt with her as she went. His carapace was hard, but smooth to the touch. Probably from years of rubbing against his armor. His carapace cut up in the front covering his ribcage, protecting his heart and lungs. Below it was a trim, very well muscled belly, though she could tell he'd lost weight. She grabbed his hand, ran her fingers from his palm to the tips of his blunted talons. Her tongue trailed the same path, when it got to the tip of his talon she slowly inserted it into her mouth, her tongue swirling around it, and then she slowly pulled it out.

Garrus shivered. "I don't think you will have any problem making me writhe, Ari," he said with a nervous chuckle. He pulled off her vest and looked confused at the cloth encasing her breasts.

"Give it a quick pull, the magnetic snaps will release," she said with a smile.

He carefully inserted a blunted talon between her breasts and grasped the material. A quick pull and her breasts bounced free. He remembered very well how the tip hardened at his touch. He ran his thumb pad over the darker tip of her breast. It hardened and puckered.

She sucked in her breath at the rough contact of his thumb. She took both of his hands and brought them to her breasts, cupping them. "Touch them, hold them, squeeze them gently. Use your mouth gently on my nipples…use your tongue." She flushed thinking about just how good he was with his tongue.

"Your skin is turning pink," he said as he learned her breast, the weight, the feel…they were so soft.

"Yeah…I was remembering your tongue and what it could do to me," she said blushing even harder.

"So was I," he said thickly. He captured her nipple with his mouth, gently rolling it and then flicked the tip with his tongue. His shaft jerked when she cried out in pleasure. He treated her other breast to the same attention. He was learning fast just how much he loved breasts…well, hers anyway. He still couldn't get over how much his wife loved him…desired him. How easily and completely she responded to his touch.

She put her hand behind his neck and placed her lips against the uninjured side of his mouth. She ran her tongue along the edge of his mouth; he crushed her to him and deepened the kiss. Their tongues danced and mated.

Shepard stood up and held her hand out to him.

He took it and allowed himself to be pulled off the sofa. She kneeled before him and ran her hands down the muscles of his belly, they rippled and flexed at her touch. She placed her lips against his belly and gave it a slight nip. She trailed her tongue down, then along the band of his pants. He groaned. She was surely going to kill him before the night was through. He felt her fingers hook beneath the band of his pants. She pulled the band wide, skirting his wide hipbones and then ran her hands down his thighs, taking his pants with them. She stretched them out over his legspurs and he kicked them away once they were at his ankles. As hard as it was he gave her time to look at him.

His taloned toes spread wide to support his weight. He had a thick calf muscle that his legspur grew out of. She ran her hands up the backside of his feet, along the bulging calf muscle to his legspur. She grasped each spur and slid her hand up and back down its length twice, before resuming her upward journey. His thighs were trim, wide spread, but very toned. She slid her hands up the front of his thighs, feeling the way his muscles roped over them. Then she turned her attention to the part of him she'd been wanting to become familiar with for years. His penis and testicles seemed to have emerged from a pouch. His testicles were a little smaller than a human's, but much tighter. His shaft was thick at the base, thicker than a human's, but it tapered as it went. It was probably nine inches in length and ended with a pronounced head. The edge of his head had more depth and odd lumps on the underside of the edge. His shaft was flesh toned. She ran her fingers from the tip down to the base. It was damp to the touch, but not wet. Made sense if it had to easily slide out of a pocket.

He gritted his teeth when he felt the heat of her stare. Her gentle touch nearly undid him. His shaft jerked in response. He looked down at her and nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt her suck one of his testicles into her mouth. He felt her twirl her tongue around it and then she did the same with his other one. His shaft swelled. Her hand encircled the base of his shaft; she gave it a gentle squeeze. He felt the heat of her tongue as it slid from her hand to the tip of his shaft. His hips bucked against her. "Vela," he said in a strangled voice. He wanted to back away, uncertain of what she was doing, but she had a firm grip on him. He felt her hot breath on the head of his shaft; her soft tongue flicked the small slit. Then he was inside her soft, hot mouth and he had no more thoughts of backing away. He had no more thoughts at all. He felt her tongue roll over the head of his shaft and then she suckled, his hips bucked wildly against her and he nearly screamed from the pleasure. Nope, she was not going to have any trouble making him writhe. In fact, she was going to kill him. He just knew it. Between her hand, her hot mouth, her tongue and her suckling, he was done in. His shaft grew so thick he knew he was getting too close. "Arianna, stop."

She ran her tongue over the small slit and looked up at him. "Am I doing something wrong? Is there another way you'd prefer me to do it?"

"Not wrong…just - hmm…you're about to – er…I'm about to…I'm not ready to end things just yet," he admitted.

She gave him a wicked smile. "I don't think that's going to be a problem," she told him and slid him back into her mouth.

He felt a hard suckle and he was lost. His hips bucked, he threw back his head and roared as he exploded into her mouth. She continued to suck lightly and his hips continued to rock against her. He had never felt anything like that before in his life. He was stunned by the depth of her giving and if he could love her any more than he did he would. He could feel her run her tongue along his prong anchors, his chest rumbled with the pleasure.

He held his hand out to her and pulled her up. He lowered his forehead to hers. "Thank you, vela…no one's...umm, I've never - "

"That was the first time anyone's done that for you?" she asked gently.

"Yes…a turian's mouth is not exactly designed for…that," he said with a shiver. "I've never been with another species before."

"Neither have I. I wasn't sure what you would like…if I do something you don't like tell me…I want this to be perfect for us."

"It is, vela. I don't think there is anything you could do to me that I wouldn't like. I'm liking it all too much," he admitted.

"Good. Because so am I." She ran her tongue along his mandible, suckling its tips.

"Spirits…I've missed that…it feels like heaven."

"Heaven is right around the corner, care to join me?" she said seductively, as she took his hand and led him over to the bed.

He felt his shaft harden. Damn if she wasn't right…it was not going to be a problem. He followed her up on the bed and laid between her legs. He ran his tongue down her neck to the tip of her breast and flicked it. He gently nibbled her nipple and gave it another flick.

She needed them connected. She pushed out and merged their auras. Love, desire, and pleasure coursed through her, intensifying her own feelings.

He could feel his mouth at her breast. Like it was his own nipple being flicked. It was the strangest sensation since he didn't have a chest…at least nothing remotely like hers. He could feel her emotions and they heightened his. In fact it was hard to tell whose was whose. He trailed his tongue down her flat belly and dipped it into her navel. The jeweled belly ring danced on the tip of his tongue before he moved lower. He gave the side of her belly a nip and then reached up and grabbed a pillow. "Lift your hips," he said and slid the pillow under her, raising her hips to the optimal level. Allowances had to be made for his carapace.

He spread her legs wide so they would not come into contact with the injured side of his face. He stared down at the core he remembered so well. He could smell her desire and the need to bury himself inside of her nearly overwhelmed him. He trailed his tongue up her inner thigh and nipped the top of it. Trying to give himself a moment to calm down. When he had control of himself he slid his tongue through her damp folds to find the hidden button that gave her so much pleasure last time. His hips jerked when his tongue nudged the button. Damn that felt too good. He twirled his tongue around the bud, gently nipped it and flicked it with his tongue. She cried out and bucked, but was careful to keep her legs spread. He ran his tongue down her slit and entered her. He could feel her tiny muscles gripping him. He curled his tongue up just a little and she cried out again. His unbandaged mandible flared. He remember just where she liked it. He continued to flick the spot then withdrew and lavished the nub with equal attention. He flicked his tongue faster and harder over the nub. He gently inserted one of his talons into her. He felt her body grow tense. He reached down with his other hand and squeezed the tip of his shaft hard. He did not want to come with her.

"Garrus…" She cried out. "I'm about to …ahhh.." her world shattered as she came.

His hips bucked when hers did, but he thankfully didn't come. He slowed his movements against her button, coming to a gradual stop. He sunk his tongue into her one last time, gave her nub one final flick, and then crawled back up her body. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and held him close. He never wanted her to let go.

"I love you, Garrus," she said as she pulled him in for a kiss.

He jerked the pillow out from under her hips and she gave a startled gasp as her ass hit the bed. She gave his tongue a little nip and then soothed it with flicks from her tongue. He wrapped his tongue around hers, squeezed it and pulled back to look down on her. "I love you, vela. I never thought…it's hard to believe that you are here in my arms again."

She gave him a soft smile. "I want you inside of me now, husband. Two years is too long, I'm a lusty woman."

"Spirits! You won't hear me complain." He plunged into her tight, hot sheath and had to bite back a scream. It had been so long and she felt so good. The way she grasped him and clung to his every move, created a suction that threatened to do him in. Her cries of pleasure were music to him. His talons dug into her hips as he thrust into her heat harder and faster. He groaned, felt himself grow heavy and gritted his teeth to keep from coming. He could feel how close she was through their aural connection. Her body stiffened and her muscles clenched around him tightly. The dam broke. His testicles tightened, his head tingled and he roared out as an orgasm ripped through him. He rocked into her releasing more of himself until his prongs anchored them tightly. Her muscles squeezed and caressed him, causing him to release even more of himself deep within her. His head fell forward and he bit deep into her shoulder. Her answering bite sent shivers down his back.

He ran his tongue along the small groove the blade of his carapace had left between her breasts. He felt himself grow heavy again as her muscles continued to work him. He lowered his talon to her swollen nub and brought her to orgasm again and he followed her over. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment and then rolled them over, so that she was astride him, taking the pressure of the prong that stimulated her.

"Husband?" she asked tentatively.

"Wife?"

"Would you…I don't know…maybe consider-"

"Anything," he said sincerely. He was buried deep inside his wife; she'd been lost to him for two years, there was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

"Be careful what you agree to before it is asked," she said with a soft smile.

"What do you wish of me?" he asked gently.

Rip the band-aid off, she thought. "Your hand in marriage. Will you marry me, Garrus?"

He stilled and his mouth fell open. She'd just made him happier. He didn't even think that could be possible.

"I'm so sorry. I forgot about your father. I shouldn't have put you in that position. Please, forget-"

He placed a blunted talon over her mouth to still it. "I have no intention of forgetting anything; I don't give a rat's ass about my father right now. You are already my wife, and I would gladly have the world know it. But are you sure you want us public? The war was only 30 years ago; you might face a lot of criticism from other humans."

"No more than you would from your kind. If you don't want to or you think it's too soon, I understand-"

"Stop doing that," he interrupted, placing his talon against her mouth. "It was never a question for me. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of all the …ramifications. And too soon? Are you crazy? I've waited too many years to have you as it is." He rubbed his talon along her lower lip, opened her mouth and slipped his tongue inside. He had never felt like he really fit in anywhere, unless he was with her. But now he felt like he'd come home. "What kind of wedding do you want?" he asked curiously. His shaft released her, but he stayed inside of her until it slid back into its pouch.

"I never have had dreams of a Barbie-doll wedding, so I don't really care. Small with a few friends and family or large, whatever you like. Why don't we find out how your family will react before we decide? If they don't want to be a part of it, we'll just keep it small with just our friends."

"Sounds like a plan, vela," he said softly, wondering how badly his father was going to explode when he heard the news.

She picked up his hand and looked at it. Ran her finger across a blunted talon. "You are the only turian I've met that trims his talons. Why are yours shorn so short?"

"For you. I've worn them short ever since…well, not long after I met you. I had to be near you and didn't want to risk hurting you. It took me a long time to whittle the quick back this far…but I'd never be able to touch you the way I do if they were long and sharp. And I like touching you," he said seductively.

He was the sweetest man. "I was gone for two years and you kept them short?"

"I guess it was a way to help me remain close to you. And I'm more than glad I kept it up."

"So am I. I love the way your talon feels deep inside me while your tongue creates a magic of its own." She smiled softly as his chest rumbled.

She rested her hand gently upon the injured side of his face. Wishing he'd never been hurt. Wishing she could take his pain away. She felt her hand grow warm and begin to tingle. That's odd. She closed her eyes and focused her sight. When she opened them she looked at her hand. Her teal, purple and gold aura…She saw an odd movement as something skittered slowly up her wrist? What the hell? She watched it makes its way up her arm. It didn't look dangerous or threatening, and she could sense that it had been a part of Garrus, so she wasn't scared…just curious as to what it could be. It crawled over her shoulder and disappeared. She shrugged. Then her eyes popped open.

Garrus pulled her hand away and grabbed her chin in his hand, moving her head so he could get a better look at her cheek. "What did you do, vela?" he asked in horror.

She reached her hand up to touch her sore cheek. "I don't know. What's wrong with my face?"

He pulled her out of bed and took her to the bathroom. "Lights on," he said. They stood side by side in the mirror. The scars on his face where she had been touching now resided on her cheek, while his was scar free.

"I can heal you faster?" she asked in awe.

"No, you most definitely cannot. Look what happened to you," he admonished her.

"I heal fast; I'm not worried about me."

"I am worried about you, so do _not_ think of doing that again," he warned, as he led her from the bathroom and back to bed. "I'll be right back," he said as slipped into his under suit and out of their room.

"EDI? I need you to scan Garrus when you get the opportunity. I want to get him a wardrobe. Please see that clothes for every occasion are delivered to my…our cabin. I also want the fish tank and the model ships relocated. I need another desk, terminal and chair, along with the closet extended double its size. Oh and shelves put in the glass enclosures that the ships were in. Make it happen during our next mission."

"Right away, Shepard…and congratulations," EDI told her.

"You…um…didn't listen in on _all_ of that, right?" she asked in horror.

"No, Shepard. When your temperatures rose and your erogenous zones heated up, I departed. I didn't want to fry my circuits."

"Very funny, EDI," she said with an embarrassed laugh.

Shepard wasn't sure how long he'd be gone, but she needed to freshen up. Having sex several times in a row had left things a bit of a mess. She sat down on the john, set the temp and used the bidet…the soothing cool water felt good. She then hopped into the shower, gelled up, rinsed off, slapped the quick dry and dashed back to bed.

He walked over to the mess and piled a tray full of human and turian food, then headed back to the cabin. When he stepped into the cabin she was still gloriously naked, sitting on the bed waiting for him. He flared one mandible, giving her a lopsided grin. He could not think of a better way to be greeted. He brought the tray over and placed it in front of her on the bed. She raised her eyebrow and gave him the once over. He chuckled, pulled off his undersuit and crawled into bed beside her. "You know, I already brought a platter of food in…it's on the table."

"Yes, but there was no turian food on it. I've worked up a bit of an appetite."

"I guess we should finish our talk before we get too distracted again." She cast her eyes downward for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. "I'm not sure how aware you are of this, but I'm…different. I'm so far from normal that I'm it's polar opposite."

He nodded. "Normal is overrated anyway."

"Rip the band-aid," she mumbled.

"What?"

"It's an expression that means to get something over with quickly rather than prolong the pain. Here goes. I've infected you."

He looked at her and blinked. "You might be an addiction, wife. But I hardly call that an infection."

She looked at him intently and gave him a small, sad smile.

His heart squeezed painfully. "I don't think I'm going to like where this is going."

"Do you want me to talk about something different?" she asked gently.

"Yes. But that doesn't change that fact that you are going to tell me. I don't want anything between us." He nodded for her to continue.

"It is not something I could keep from you even if I wanted to." She sighed and then explained to him about her experiment with Geordie when she was ten years old. How her dad and her had altered it just enough that the cells were unable to survive outside of her body. She then explained her theory on how he had inadvertently become infected with her blood and the rapid healing that probably saved his life on Omega.

"Fast healing does not exactly sound like a bad thing. Is there a downside to this?"

"Yeah." She picked up a piece of human food and held it to his lips. "Try it."

"Vela, I get no nutrition from levo food, it tastes like crap and can do bad things to my gut."

"Please trust me in this."

He opened his mouth and she placed it upon his tongue. He cringed and then his eyes opened wide. "Okay, I have to admit that tasted good." She continued to feed him various levo foods and he continued to be surprised at how good everything tasted. Though he worried he'd pay for it later.

"Did you wonder why you were losing weight, Garrus?" At his nod she continued. "It's because you've been infected with my cells…they've taken over your body. Yes, they will heal you from just about anything and you will never become sick, at least I don't think you will…but there is apparently a downside…Production of amino acids have reversed chirality."

"Not a lab geek, Ari…layman's terms, please."

A tear slipped down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Garrus. You are no longer dextro amino based, you are levo amino based. You are losing weight because your body has had to fight harder to reverse…to make the dextro foods you've been eating into something it could get nutrition from. You will gain your weight back when you start eating levo foods."

"That certainly explains why the food I've always enjoyed has started to taste offensive. Will it mutate me into some sort of human thing?"

Shepard laughed, she couldn't help herself. "You were infected two years ago, Garrus. The cells have already done what they were going to do. So, no you will not mutate into a human."

Garrus nodded thoughtfully. "I guess that shoots down the thought of having children with you."

"You want children with me?"

"Of course I do. Someday. Even if it means adopting."

"I wasn't a lab-geek for nothing, Garrus. If there's a way, I'll find it. Though you being levo now will be our saving grace, because dextro-levo can't mix."

"There is no downside then. My home is with you, not on Palaven. I don't have to worry about finding dextro food to eat and the possibility of having children someday…no, there is no downside. But there is one thing I'm curious about. Geordi…is he the same hamster you had when you were ten?"

"Yes. By all rights he should have died a very long time ago. Hamsters live two to five years tops. I cannot know what that will mean for us, Garrus. But he was nineteen years old when the Normandy blew."

Garrus smiled and made his way over to his armor. He unzipped a cargo pocket, dipped his hand in and returned to the bed. He took his hand out from behind his back. "I guess this makes him twenty one years old now."

"You saved him? How?" He scampered up her arm, around her shoulders and down her other arm. He began cleaning his paws in her hand.

"I went back for him when I heard the evacuation alarm. I knew what he meant to you, but I also knew you would not go back for him, because the crew came first. He's lived in a pocket in my armor ever since. He made me feel closer to you after you died."

"If you wouldn't mind putting him back in your pocket for now, I'll pick up some supplies for him on Omega." When Garrus returned to the bed, she gave him a gentle smile. "I never died, Garrus. Had I died, then you would have died. Of course, that didn't occur to me until I saw you alive."

"It never occurred to me either. If it had, I'd have commandeered the Hawk from Anderson and searched the galaxy until I found you, vela."

She placed a hand to the side of his face. "I know you would have. Tell me, what does _vela_ mean?" she asked curiously.

"Your translator didn't translate it for you?"

"I don't have a translator. I don't have any implants. The ones they used to bring me back I had Dr Chakwas remove as soon as I got to the ship. She said they were so eager to be out of me that they literally jumped into her hands. The expression on her face was priceless," she said with a big smile, then she laughed.

Garrus sucked in his breath, lifemate or not he was far from immune to that smile. Damn he was hoping not to look like an idiot anymore. He cleared his throat and moved the empty food tray to the bedside table.

She held her sides laughing so hard it hurt. "Oh god…it hurts…make it stop." And she laughed harder, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Oww…Garrus…husband…help me…ahhh." She laughed harder.

Garrus was at a loss. How do you stop someone from laughing? He didn't want to make her sad…didn't want to hurt her. The lightbulb brightened. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Her laughter faded as her desire grew. She jumped back and pushed him down.

"I want to see it happen."

"See what happen?" He asked curiously.

"I want to watch little Garrus come out to play," she said suggestively.

He fell back against the pillows and groaned. He was sure he'd have performance anxiety now. "A watched pot, Ari."

"Oh don't be silly, not with me around." She ran her hands up his inner thighs. She nipped the closest thigh. "What is this?" She asked pointing to a hard nub at the bottom of his sheath pocket.

Garrus groaned again. "My urethra." Could he be any more embarrassed? He felt her hot breath on his sheath opening. Then her tongue ran the length of the slit, gently probing inside. He gritted his teeth and curled his toes; he stirred and began to harden…fast.

"You are so fascinating, so magnificent." She saw the head emerge from its protective lair. She bent down and nibbled the tip, and licked the small slit. It jumped into her mouth and she had to back up a bit to laugh, and to keep from choking. As it rose to its full size the testicles were pulled out of the pocket. Damn if that wasn't one of the most amazing things she'd ever seen. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "69?"

He looked at her like she was crazy. What could an element have to do with what they were about to do?

She laughed, grabbed his legs, pulled him down the bed a bit, turned herself around, laid next to him on the bed and turned him sideways, then ran her tongue the length of his shaft.

Garrus could smell her desire and her hips were right in front of him. 69. He chuckled. He got it…and elements had nothing to do with it. He grabbed her hips and brought her to his mouth. When he couldn't take any more he grabbed her hand, twirled her around, and pulled her on top of him. He lowered her slowly onto his hard shaft. He grabbed her hips and rocked her against him. His head was tilted at the perfect angle to see where they were joined. He felt the connection as soon as she merged them and he grew harder. Her breasts were swaying and her head was thrown back. He worked her harder, slamming her down on him. He swelled further and his testicles tightened. He rubbed his thumb against her hidden nub and she cried out grinding down on him. He felt her stiffen and then come apart in his arms. He growled out as he erupted into her womb; his prongs anchored him deep inside her... He pulled her down, bit into her left shoulder and he lapped at the blood that filled him with strength.

"More," she said as she held his head to her wound and bit into his shoulder. She noticed his nose quivering like mad and air whistled through his open mouth. "Are you okay?"

"Yes…it's just that…you're in heat, and the need to keep mating is…intense."

"In heat? You mean I'm ovulating? That's one hell of a sniffer you have."

"It's not just the scent; it's the pheromones you've been giving off. You are receptive and you are my mate. I used to have to stay away from you when you were in heat, or I would not have been able to stop myself from taking you."

"I wish you had taken me, I'd been waiting for you to make a move, big guy."

"You were in heat the night before we lost the Normandy."

"How do you handle the other women that ovulate?"

"Their scent is repellant, you are the only woman I've ever responded to like this. The only one I've ever wanted to claim.

She pulled up and looked down at him. "So…only one time?" she asked.

"Hell, no," he said and turned them on their sides.

His prong struck gold and she moaned. "One of these times we are going to have to ride this ride until the end, husband. I'm game." And that is exactly what they did.

Apparently, they had both passed out after the fourth time, but at least they had a very good night's sleep.

She stretched and banged her head on something hard. She was either going to wake up with a headache every morning or she was going to get used to him being beside her. Either option was okay with her so long as he was there. She gave her husband a very brief kiss…he tried to grab her but she rolled away…she did not wish to share her morning breath with him…might just scare him off. She sashayed up the stairs and into the shower. She was already busy attending to her teeth when he stepped into the shower to join her.

He noticed a second, brand new tooth brush in the hole next to hers, grabbed it and attended to his own morning mouth. She runs her hands up his glistening, hard carapace, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a hot, steamy kiss.

"Didn't wish to see you run screaming from bed this morning after getting a whiff of my morning breath, but I hope I've more than made up for it."

"A little morning breath doesn't concern me, vela, for mine would have been just as bad and I wouldn't have noticed it." He smiled at her and ran his hands down her slick back, molding her to him.

"Perhaps we should test that theory tomorrow." She joked.

She grabbed a loofah sponge, poured something that smelled like vanilla spice onto it and asked him to turn around. As the water slapped at his carapace and skin, he felt her slide the loofah down his back and over his ass, caressing him as much as washing him. She dropped down to run the loofah down his legs. He felt her nip his right butt cheek and his shaft sprang to life. She caressed his legspurs with soap slick hands and he rumbled in response.

She stood up and asked him to turn back around. She ran the loofah along his arms, across his carapace and then down his belly. She dropped to her knees to run the loofah down his legs. As she ran it up his thigh, his shaft jerked and hit her in the cheek. She chuckled and turned, giving it the attention it desired.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt her tongue, her teeth and then felt his head slide into the heat of her mouth. She ran her tongue to the base of him and then lower. She gently sucked a testicle into her mouth and rolled her tongue around it, she then treated the other one to the same tormented pleasure. She ran her tongue back up his shaft, licked the small slit before taking him back into her mouth. Her hand moved on his shaft as she suckled. He felt himself swell. "Vela," he gasped and pulled her up. "I need to be inside you when I come."

He took the loofah from her hand. He reached behind her and poured more of the liquid soap on it. He pressed her to him and ran the loofah down her back and buttocks. Then he pulled back and ran it down her breasts and belly. He watched her nipples tighten and soap bubbles part like twin rivers around her peaks. He brought his mouth to her breast and wrapped his tongue around the bud and gave it a gentle squeeze. He nipped it and soothed it with his tongue. She cried out, flung her head back and ran her leg up the outside of his. He rubbed the loffah along her core and she rocked against him, crying out his name in frustration.

He chuckled, turned her around, let her brace herself against the shower wall and slid into her tight sheath from behind. He wrapped one arm around her to hold her close, his other hand slid down her belly, through her tight curls to the hidden nub. As he continued to rock into her womb he felt himself swell and his balls tighten. He quickened the pace against her nub and felt her body coil. "Come for me, vela." He whispered in her ear. She cried out and her muscled clenched him. He was lost. He growled and spent himself deep inside of her. His head fell forward and he bit into her left shoulder, taking in the blood that he needed.

She programmed the water off and the quick dry on. He held her up against him and carried her out of the shower and down to the sofa. He sat down, her on top of him, and hugged her close. She leaned back against him as they waited for the tie to release them.

"What does _vela_ mean?" she asked him again.

"I'm sorry, I guess I got distracted before. It means…well, I guess the closest translation would be 'my heart' or 'my love'. …which has me puzzled why Saren called you vela."

"He was mocking me and Nihlus, I'm sure.

"Nihlus Kryik?" he asked surprised.

"Yes, he was on the Normandy for our shakedown run. We'd know each other for a while…or I should say he'd known me. He'd read my military files and had been following me around for days…evaluating me for the Spectres. He eventually worked up the nerve to tell me what he felt about me. We decided to have a relationship. I think you'd have liked him a lot. He was not your typical turian and did things his way, not the turian way."

"That is where you'd be wrong, wife. He wanted you, I wanted you, we could never have been anything more than enemies." His shaft had released them, but he was content to stay inside of her for as long as possible.

"Maybe…maybe not. He scouted out ahead of us on Eden Prime – it was the first mission of many we were to share together. As we talked over his private channel he stopped calling me Shepard and started calling me vela. Apparently, Saren heard his last transmission to me. Now that I know what it means, I guess he thought Nihlus was in love with me, so he wanted to hurt me by calling me what Nihlus called me."

"Nihlus _was_ in love with you. Vela is a very…strong word. It is not used lightly. Arianna, you're an easy woman to fall in love with and a hard one to let go of. I wouldn't doubt if some part of Saren fell in love with you too. No. Hear me out. Calling you vela the first time would have had great shock value, provided you knew what the word meant, but after that it would cease to have any value…for him to keep using it means he would have developed some feelings for you, even if he didn't want them. I think that's why he didn't drop you over the waterfall on Virmire…he had the time to, but he didn't…he just looked at you. I also think that's why you were able to turn him away from Sovereign in the end," he explained.

"That's crazy. I was able to turn Benezia," she pointed out.

"Benezia never wanted what Saren and Sovereign wanted. She fought it the whole time, kept a part of herself free from him. That's why you were able to help her; she just needed a small boost. Saren believed completely in what he was doing. A small boost never would have worked on him."

His shaft finally withdrew from her and back into its sheath and she turned and curled up on his lap, her hand making lazy circles on his carapace. His carapace was hard, like his legspurs and facial fringes, but he could still feel it and it was a bit distracting.

"We've spent all this time talking about me, husband…we still need to talk about you. You have two years to fill me in on."

Garrus sighed. He knew things would work their way around to him eventually. He held her tight, leaned forward and took his visor from the table and handed it to her. "Look at the inside."

She peered at the inside of his visor and saw several names, the first and largest was her own. Then there was a string of eleven names, names she'd never heard of, one scratched out. She slid her finger across her own name and looked at him questioningly.

"hmmm. I've – er, been in love with you a long time, wife. I carved your name in my visor years ago, not long after we met," he said clearing his throat. "I respected you, I loved you; we were the ultimate team. But it was more than that. That night that I – er…hmmm…bit you, I claimed you as my mate. I didn't know we were lifemates then, but I knew I had to make you mine. I know it's something we should have discussed first, because any turian who saw the mark would know you were mine…but I was… er – not myself. I was...hmmm, swept up in the moment and by the scent of your heat," he said apologetically.

She pulled him down for a brief kiss. "If I had known, I would have gladly marked you too. I was so head over arse in love with you, Garrus. It had been driving me crazy trying to figure out ways to get you to see me as a woman."

"That's why you tormented me so much," Garrus said with a lopsided smile. "Seeing you as a woman was the problem. I always saw you as a woman. I didn't want to …you were the Commander. You were _The Shepard_. You were my friend. I never imagined you would see me as a man. But, I found I could not stay away from you. I had to protect you…I had to be near you. And being near you became such sweet torture. I was always hard around you. Always ready to..to…but, I couldn't bear to risk what we had become. Our nights together meant everything to me. I, hmmm…it felt like we were a couple, and during those times…I - er, pretended that we were. I know that sounds silly-"

She put a finger to his mouth and cupped the side of his face. "It doesn't. I pretended the same thing. I used to dream of us making love when you held me at night. Of course, I didn't know what a turian looked like, so it wasn't as nice as the dreams I will have now," she said with a chuckle.

"You will still dream about us making love?" he asked. At least he would not be the only one. He wanted to be inside of her all the time. Awake or asleep.

"Yes." She smiled when she felt the hardness at her side. She slid down and wrapped her hand around his shaft, pushed out and merged them. She breathed hot air on it. "Keep talking." She touched her tongue to him…and nearly jumped from the pleasure she felt when she touched him.

"I'll try to," he gasped and ran his talons through her hair as she pleasured him. He glanced down watching her mouth slide down him and then turned away. He'd never get through his story if he watched her love him, it was going to be hard enough as it was. "After you died, my life had no meaning. You had been my sun and it had gone dark. When the escape pods were rounded up we were all taken to the Citadel. I stayed because there was no place else for me to go."

He took deep ragged breaths, his voice growing husky. "I ended back with C-Sec, it was all I knew. But I was running on autopilot, there was nothing much left to me. Apparently, that is what C-Sec wanted. I became one of C-Sec's most decorated officers. It meant nothing to me. I didn't even really notice. A year and a half went by like that." He groaned and his hips bucked into her. "My..uhh…father called and told me just how proud he was of meeee...ahhh…and I became angry for the first time, felt anything for the first time." Every time he got close and started to pull her away she would pinch him and begin again. He was going crazy. "I wanted to scream at him that the only reason I was the man he wanted me to be was because I lost my lifemate, a human Spectre and how did he like that? I never said any such thing, but the fire inside me grew. I was reliving the pain," he stopped and panted, she pinched him and he groaned, "of losing you. I became angry and bitter, rules and regulations stopped meaning anything to me, I started doing things my way and was pissing C-Sec off.

About four months before you found me, I quit C-Sec and headed to Omega. I needed to do something. I saved another turian, Sidonis, and we started up a group of our…ahhh…own and started taking down the mercs. There were twelve of us in all. After a few months and a lot of killing later, they were done, but I didn't listen. Moral fell, but I pushed them for more anyway. I ignored everything you and my father tried to teach me. I was unstoppable and had to win at all cost. I had to purge Omega." His hips thrust into her and he was panting again. She pinched him. "Wife..." he warned "I am beyond what I can take."

"You are stronger than you know. Finish your story," she told him and began to suckle.

His mandibles began to clack. Payback was going to be a bitch later. "But the cost was too high. One of my team was captured, Sidonis, he broke. He drew me away from the team and they were bombed, killed. By the time I got back to them only two were left alive and they didn't last long against the mercs. I took a lot of them down and they backed off, but the damage had already been done. The only one left alive on my team was Sidonis. Someday I hope to correct that…ahhh…maybe; right now I really don't care. That is where you found me…making my last stand."

He pulled her up hard, her suction broke with a pop and it nearly did him in. He slammed her down on his shaft and buried himself to the hilt. He closed his eyes in bliss. He could swear he had build up all the way down to his toes. He could feel her pleasure and his own. At least he knew that, because they were merged, his wife was as ready to come as he was. He lifted her hips and ground her down against him. He slammed her down on him three more times and it was over. He literally screamed as he exploded and exploded and exploded into her. He was so drained, but he'd never felt anything better. He pulled her forward and sank his teeth into her left shoulder taking in the blood that revitalized him. She held his head to her tightly and he shuddered as he felt her answering bite. They sat there cuddling and content, waiting for his shaft to release them and not in a hurry for it to do so.

She pulled him down and placed her forehead against his. "If you decide to go after Sidonis. Do not do anything rash without more details." She put a finger to his mouth to still it. "If he did what he did for money or bitterness, do as you will. But, if he did what he did out of fear or because he'd been tortured…if he feels remorse or sadness, then let him live with what he sowed. It is a far greater punishment than you could ever give him. Please…think on my words," she said softly and placed tender kisses all over his face, a final one on his mouth. She slipped her tongue inside for a quick dance and curled against his carapace.

He understood her words, but didn't give a rat's ass about Sidonis right now. He'd never been happier or more content in his life. When he finally slipped out of his wife and back into his sheath, she disconnected them, got up and stretched…and spirits did she look nice doing so. But he knew they'd dallied enough. It was time to go get Mordin.

She pulled out his arm and flipped on his OT. Her fingers flew over the controls, she aimed her OT at his briefly and then she smiled and nodded. "I've created a better connection between our OTs, we will always be able to home in on each other now. I've also made a home for Grim on your OT, so he can stay with you if need be. Hopefully, this will prevent us from ever being lost from each other again."

"Do you know how sexy that brain of yours is?"

She grabbed his hand and placed it against her curls. "Hopefully, not as sexy as other places."

He couldn't help himself; he slid a talon deep into her heat. Her eyes flew open and she cried out. He moved his thumb against her, her hips rocked against his hand. He saw pleasure dance over her features as she rode his hand. He couldn't take it anymore. He slid down to his knees and brought her to his mouth. His mandibles gently flared against her as he tasted and teased her. She keened out his name and panted as her hips rocked against him. She clutched his head tightly and cried out with her climax, his talons sank into her flesh, holding her against him until he had wrung out every last aftershock. He stood up and held her to him. He could feel her legs shaking.

"Damn, you're amazing. Have I told you how much I love that tongue of yours?" She rubbed her belly against his heavy shaft. He growled out and his mandibles began to clack. "But I also love something else." She held onto his shoulders and pulled herself up, wrapping her legs around his small waist.

He spread his legs to support their weight and his talons went to her hips as she sank down on him. "I'm too close, Ari."

She merged them, felt him teetering on the edge and it brought her to the edge with him. "Come, husband and I'll join you." She watched his face as he climaxed and then let herself join him in sweet release. He lowered them to the sofa to ride out the tie and his chest started rumbling. God, she loved it when he purred like that. She felt his bite and gave in to the need to strengthen the bond.

Chapter 22

Mordin Solus

She chose Garrus and Legion to go with her after the aura evaluation. As they entered Omega, she took them straight up the stairs to see Aria. She'd seen enough of Omega to last her a lifetime. Her team left her at the base of the loft stairs and she continued up to the seated asari.

Aria looked over Shepard and smiled. The woman screamed power. Damn if that wasn't as much of a turn on as it was a threat. "What brings me the pleasure of your visit, Shepard?"

Shepard sat down and looked curiously at her. Was she flirting with her? "I'm looking for Mordin Solus. Do you know where I can find him?" she asked.

"Last I heard he was at a clinic in the quarantine zone trying to find a cure for the plague." Aria chuckled then smiled. "I always did like Mordin. He's as likely to heal you as he is to shoot you."

"What can you tell me about him?"

"He was part of the Salarian Special Task group. He's brilliant and dangerous," she said with a smile. "But, just don't start him talking. He never shuts up….If you really need to find him head to the quarantine zone. No guarantee they will let you in, of course," Aria explained.

"Thank you for the information," Shepard said nodding to Aria as she descended the loft stairs.

"Just try not to bring the plague back with you," Aria retorted. "And Shepard? You should find yourself a nice, young man. You're looking a little tense...Unless..."

Garrus put a possessive arm around his wife and shot the asari a cold glare. "I will take care of my wife's needs."

Aria raised a painted eyebrow and smiled. Well, isn't that interesting. "Come back anytime...Shepard," she said suggestively and laughed when the turian bristled.

Garrus all but pulled his wife down the stairs to get her away from the asari's appreciative stare.

They headed for the quarantine zone, where a guard was facing an irate human woman.

"I'm sorry lady, I can't let you in. It's under quarantine, no one is allowed in or out. If you go in there the guards will cut you down," the turian guard warned her.

"It's not right. Everything I own is in that apartment! Besides, I'm _human_ you ass, humans don't get the plague. Now, let me get my stuff out before looters get it," the woman berated him.

"This plague affects every other race out there. The quarantine is in effect until the plague has run its course. I'm_ not_ letting you in," he stated firmly.

"I need to reach Mordin Solus, he runs the clinic in the slums," Shepard informed the guard.

"Our orders are to wait until the plague or the blue suns kill everyone and then go in to clean up," the guard replied.

"You're stuck here until the plague is over and that could take weeks. You need this problem solved now. I'm Commander Shepard, Spectre. That's what I do - Solve problems. Let me in and I'll get this district straightened out."

"Maybe you will be able to fix this. I'll radio ahead and let them know you're coming."

"You're stopping me and not them - you son of a bitch!" the lady fumed.

"You're not a Spectre and you don't have a grenade launcher, lady. Get lost," he replied.

She turned to Garrus. "Garrus - "

"I know this disease effects turians. But, you said I shouldn't get sick. I'm not leaving your side. Don't even ask," Garrus interrupted her.

"Garrus… I'd rather not test my theory on you this way. If you get sick in there, you will not be able to be a full, productive member of the team. That could cost lives…Our lives."

"I know…I know, Ari. I just – damn it. Set your omni-tool to our channel."

"Garrus…if you hear something you don't like. Give me a chance to sort it out. Don't go storming in there."

"No promises. Keep the line open…or I am coming in," he warned her.

She gave him a hug and asked EDI to inform Jacob that he was needed topside.

"I'll be waiting right here," he said, pulling her in for a kiss.

"I'll be back soon Garrus. Try not to worry." She nodded to Jacob when he arrived. She gave one last look back to Garrus and they slipped through the door.

Garrus watched her go with a heavy heart and then began to pace.

They skirted around the guard outpost. When they reached the final guard before the quarantine zone he said, "Good luck in there. The blue suns and the vorcha are shooting anything that moves."

As soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, they ran into their first blue suns. An overload chain and bullets took the pair down. She released Grim.

"I can't believe they just left those bodies lying in the street?" Jacob said astonished.

"Nothing like the full aromatic bouquet of death and decay," Shepard griped.

"Yes, I could have wished you left that out of my programming. Was it really necessary for me to register scents?"

"Your olfactory senses could save lives, Grim…so stop your griping."

They continued on into a back room. She found another power cell for her Arc projector and hacked into a locked door, where she discovered two turians that had been locked in to die.

"It looks like he tried to claw his way out. What a horrible way to die," Jacob commiserated.

They headed back out and found a sick batarian. The plague had hit him hard. She went over to offer him some medi-gel.

"Human. Bad enough you give us this plague, but now you don't even have the decency to wait until I die to steal my possessions," the batarian wheezed.

"I'm here to help you not rob you," she explained.

"Stay back human! Your plague did this to me. Your feigned pity," he coughed, "is the final insult." He coughed some more. "Damn it. Damn you – Can't you just - "

She knelt down and gave him a dose of medi-gel. "I know this won't cure the plague, but I hope it can help you a little."

"You…you helped me. Why?" the batarian asked.

"I'm here to help. That's what I do. I don't know if I can find a cure for this plague, but I'm going to try," Shepard assured him.

"Your words sound sincere. Maybe it's just the fever…but, but it is good to have a little hope. What do you need to know?" he asked.

"Why do you believe humans created this plague?"

"The virus is too potent to be naturally occurring; it had to be created in a lab. Humans are the only species unaffected…Sorry, human. You may not want to believe it, but all the evidence points to your species."

"I need to find Mordin Solus."

"He has a clinic on the other side of the district. He is taking in refuges and helping plague victims. I was afraid to go to him before, but," he coughed, "perhaps he can help."

"Why were you afraid of him?"

"He is no ordinary doctor. Doctors don't execute people and display the bodies as a warning."

"If I find Mordin and he has a cure for the plague, I will see if he can send someone to help you."

"Thank you. Whatever Mordin is, I will risk it if he can reach me."

She nodded to him and moved on. A bit further in was another locked door. She hacked into to find a dead batarian, whose journal log showed he too was locked in, despite not having the plague. Damn it. She was wondering if she was too late to save anyone. She sighed and left his quarters.

She headed in through the next doorway into a much larger room, when she heard some men talking. She signaled for them to go up the stairwell on the left. Looking down from their vantage point, she saw several blue suns below. "Surrender or die, boys," she yelled down at the men. A bullet whizzed by her head. Your funeral, she thought.

"Shepard!" Garrus warned.

"I wasn't going to shoot them in cold blood, Garrus." She sent out an amped overload chain and turned to her squad. "Keep an eye on my 6; I'm going to fly down there."

"No! Wife, no. I'm stretched to the breaking point. I'm not there to cover you; fight at range… Please….For both our sakes," he implored her.

"Damn it Garrus! You're bending me over a barrel here," she said angrily, knowing he would come after her if she took too many chances with her life. She shot a sonic blast and threw two blue suns against the wall, they got back up. Damn…tough buggers. A few shots from her Mattock and they didn't get up again.

"And I'll make sure you enjoy it later," he said suggestively.

"You damn well better," Shepard grumbled.

She turned to her team, "The drones have stopped tagging people, we should be in the clear. Move out." She grabbed some salvage and a medi-gel and jumped the half-wall, the disks slid out of her boots and she lowered herself to the ground while her team headed back down the stairs to join her.

She hacked into another locked door. This apartment was nicer than the previous two she had hacked into.

"Oh… thank god you're human. We thought for sure those turians had found us," the man said.

She saw the two humans across the room and went to greet them… Finally someone alive.

"Ever since this plague started, the blue suns have been out to get us. They're killing as many people as the disease," the man informed her.

He told her how the blue suns had run the district, they were stable and fair...at least for Omega. Then the damn plague hit, everyone started dying, the vorcha started moving in, the blue suns lost control and the district turned into a war zone.

She told them that she was fighting the blue suns and vorcha. She would leave a path for them to follow her to Mordin's clinic. It would be their best chance for survival. She wished them luck and left the apartment to start clearing the path.

As the entered through the door they could make out vorcha and varen. She signaled that she was heading up the stairs. Legion lobbed his drone and they opened fire. She looked down at the fight below and took out her Viper. She went back and forth between overload and Viper. Concentrating her Viper mainly on the stronger armored krogan.

"I'm fine, Garrus. They're down." She let him know before he could worry too much. She lowered herself to the floor below and met up with Jacob and Legion.

"Looks like we are crossing into vorcha territory. The blue suns have lost a lot of ground. The vorcha must be winning the war," Jacob said.

"Not for long, Jacob…not for long. We're cleaning house."

She circled around the lower floor and went through a door and into another apartment.

"Hey…back off, we got here first," a man told them.

When she walked up to them, one of the men said, "Hey, what did I tell you? The stuff in here is ours."

"Don't worry about it," said his friend. "The stuff in here is junk…worse than the last place we hit."

"What are you doing in here? Did you kill that turian?"

"Him? No. The plague took care of him; we're just here to take a full accounting of all his worldly possessions," the looter replied.

"I'm Commander Shepard. We're cleaning out the vorcha. You do not want to blue suns finding out you're looting on their turf…with humans being blamed for the plague, they will shoot you on sight. Is a few stolen trinkets worth dying over?" she warned the men.

"You're probably right, we should lay low. Thank you."

"Do you know where Mordin's clinic is?" She asked.

"Yes, it's right around the corner…follow the red lighting…you can't miss it."

She nodded her thanks and made her way towards the clinic. She headed down the stairs and followed the clinic signs. She passed a checkpoint with an armed guard and two armed mechs. Mordin meant business. Sick patients lined the walls. She overheard someone talking medical diagnosis, so she followed the voice. She recognized Mordin from his dossier photo.

"Professor Mordin Solus?" she asked…though she already knew it was him.

He scanned her with his omni-tool. "Humans and a Geth…what an odd group. Don't recognize you from the area. Too well armed to be refuges. No mercenary uniform. Quarantine still in effect. Must be here for something else. Vorcha? Crew to clean them out? Unlikely. Vorcha a symptom not a cause. The plague. Investigating possible use as bio-weapon? No. Too many guns…not enough data equipment. Soldiers, not scientists….yes…yes! Hired guns? Maybe - "

"Relax, Mordin. I'm Commander Shepard and I came here to find you. I'm on a critical mission and I need your help," Shepard interrupted.

"Mission? What mission? No. Too busy. Clinic understaffed. Plague spreading fast. Who sent you?" Mordin asked.

"Cerberus," Shepard replied.

"Crossed paths with them a few times. Thought they only worked with humans. Why request my aid?"

"I'm on a mission to shut down the Collectors," Shepard informed him.

"Collectors? Interesting. Plague hitting the slums is engineered. Collectors are one of few who have the technology to design it. Our goals may be similar," Mordin said. "But, must stop plague first. Already have the cure. Need to distribute it at the environmental control center. Vorcha guarding it. Need to kill them."

"I'll take care of the vortcha - " a loud noise interrupted. "What was that?"

"That sounded bad," Jacob said.

"Wife! What's going on?" Garrus worried.

"Turian? Husband? Curious. Not what I would have expected from Cerberus…"

"Mordin!" Shepard interrupted.

"Oh..yes…Vorcha have shut down environmental systems. Trying to kill everyone. Need to get power back on before district suffocates. Here is cure. One more thing. Daniel, one of my assistants, went into vorcha territory looking for victims." He took a breath. "Hasn't come back," Mordin said with concern.

"If I find him, I'll help him," Shepard assured him.

"Thank you. Told him not to go. Snuck out. Smart. Bright future. I hope," Mordin said.

"I found a batarian plague victim near the entrance of the neighborhood. Can you send someone to help him?"

"Risky. District not secure. See what I can do."

"Now the fun begins. No time to play nice, we need to get the power up. Let's move out." Shepard and the team left the clinic.

"I'm heading in, vela," Garrus informed her.

"Everything in me wants to tell you no. But, with the power down, the problem just got a lot bigger than you and I. Be safe Garrus."

"You already cut me a path, vela…I'm following it. Be there in a few," Garrus told her.

They headed out the rear door and up the stairs. They were attacked immediately. Legion's attack drone was unleashed…Grim was already busy shooting electrical bolts and acid. She pulled her sniper and began picking off distracted vorcha. One vorcha kept taking pot shots at her from behind a planter. She threw a sonic blast out and he was sent flying. She blasted another and threw it against a column…the crunch was rather satisfying. She was having the best luck with overload, cryo or incinerate, because anything that sent them flying did not necessarily kill them. She'd had more than one flyer come back to bite her in the ass this fight. She'd been burning her OTs heavy and was starting to feel a little light headed. A vorcha with a flame thrower was making his way around to her side. She took a bead on him with her Viper. Damn...too blurry. She shook her head and threw an overload charge at him and he exploded. She fell to one knee and shook her head again to try to clear it.

She stood, legs shaking, in time to see a krogan came barreling around a corner. She grabbed hold of her cover to keep her upright and sent an overload chain at him, to slow him down…it also hit a couple of vorcha nearby. Two bullets smacked into the krogan, taking him down. She hung her head and hobbled over to him. "Please forgive me." She merged their auras and began draining him. His body went rigid; a scream, she will remember in her nightmares, ripped from his throat. Blood sprayed from his mouth and nose, leaked from his eyes… then he fell to the floor and moved no more.

Garrus dropped down next to her and pulled her into his arms. "You are not a monster... Don't even think it. He would have killed you without a thought. You were growing weak and you had to keep fighting because a lot of people are counting on you to save them. So, let's go save this district."

"This time it is you who knows just what to say. How did you get here so fast?" she asked.

"I didn't have to fight."

She handed him her Carnifex. He raised an eyebrow plate at her. She shrugged, "I won't be using it. Mordin says it has a hell of a punch against vorcha…thought it should get some use."

The four of them and the drones continued on towards the rear door, cleaning up the remaining vorcha and krogan. As they neared the Exit sign, a lootdar alert led her to the left where she found a gambling terminal and she hacked it for credits. Then, they headed up the stairs. At the top of the stairs she discovered a bank terminal, she chose to ignore it. While she would gladly steal from the blue suns, she did not wish to steal from the poor.

They continued up another stairwell. At the top of the stairs were two doors. The left one was a little closer, so she opened it first, standing at the side of the entrance to avoid being fired upon. There she found a group of batarians threatening a human. She pulled back and listened for a moment.

"My name is Daniel; I work for Mordin at the clinic. I'm telling you the truth; I came here to help you."

"We know you're spreading the plague virus…we saw the vials in your bag," the batarian responded in anger.

"No," pleaded Daniel. "Those vials contain the cure. Please…you have to believe me!"

"Maybe we should cut off your fingers…that should loosen your - "

She gave Legion a nod, he nodded acknowledgement and they entered the doorway. "Look out!" a batarian cried out.

The leader raised his gun to Daniel's head. "Don't move. One more step and I will kill your friend," he warned.

"I'm Commander Shepard. I know you're scared of the vorcha…of the plague. But this man isn't to blame. If he was spreading the virus, why would he come into vorcha territory? They're immune."

He's right," said the other batarian. "It doesn't make any sense."

"If we release the prisoner…can we go?" asked the leader.

"That is how I would prefer this to end…yes," Shepard said.

"Let him go," said the leader and he lowered his gun.

"Thank you…you may go now," Shepard said.

"Human nobility, Commander Shepard…I didn't know such a thing existed," the leader replied as they turned and walked away.

"Thank you," Daniel said. "I thought they were going to…kill me. Did Mordin send you to find me?"

"The professor needs your help right now. He's got too many patients and not enough volunteers," Shepard explained.

"Yeah, ok. I'll go right away. Thanks again. I owe you…well…everything," Daniel responded gratefully.

Shepard handed the medic the med-kit he had forgotten about. They headed to the opposite door. She could hear a vorcha laugh through the door. She ducked in and ran for cover. Two vorcha sniped at them from across the way. The drones harassed them enough that her team was able to quickly dispatch them.

They went through the next door and down the stairs. When they went through to doorway at the bottom a rocket flew right past her. She ducked and ran for the cover of the railing. She signaled her team to move out along the half wall. She threw a cryo blast at vorcha across the way. He ducked and it missed. Damn waste of energy. She then threw an amped overload at him. He jerked and convulsed, tumbling over the railing to the atrium below. That was certainly more entertaining. She sniped a vorcha cater-corner from her position.

She moved down the half wall and crouched right in front of the ventilation room door. Garrus moved in next to her. She nodded and they stood up sniping the vorcha as they came out of the door. They took down six before the door remained closed.

The drones were continuing to fire upon a vorcha below her under the walkway they were standing on. It was hard to fire her tech blindly and she couldn't see the damn vermin. She heard a sizzle and a yelp…she knew Grim could be relentless. It grew quiet and Legion's drone winked out. She scanned the atrium below, but her omni-tool radar picked up no other signs of life.

She signaled her squad to the back stairs, under the ventilation control sign, while she jumped the half wall and lowered herself to the atrium below. They skirted the atrium and slipped through the Ventilation Control door. And there was another door…Really? Who designs these places? So many redundant doors.

After going through the second door there was another long hall, two vorcha and a krogan popped up at the end of the hall. They took down her shields before she even realized they were there. She threw a sonic blast at them and felt herself being flung sideways; she tumbled into the wall behind some cover. She threw a ferocious look at Garrus. He completely ignored her, his focus on the enemy. Smart man.

"God…I'm glad I didn't do that. I would_ not_ want to be in your shoes later, Garrus," Jacob said in shock.

"Shepard Commander's platform is overheating." He turned to Shepard, cocked his head and flapped his face plates. "Shepard Commander, do you need a system reboot?"

"I'd like to do something with a boot all right…" she growled. "I'm fine, Legion…thank you."

Jacob laughed nervously. Garrus wisely continued to ignore her.

She jumped up, the disks slid out of her boots and she propelled herself at the Krogan. He lost his footing and fell hard. She rolled backwards and jumped up, Mattock in hand, peppering him with bullets. With all three down, they headed into the next room and up the stairs on the right.

"Looks like we are close. Let's get the cure into the system and power the fans back up," Jacob said.

As they went through the door at the top of the stairs a vorcha stepped forward. "Ahhh," he growled. "…You no come here. We shut down machines…Break fans! Everyone choke and die. Collectors make us strong!"

"No, the Collectors are using you. When you cease to be of use they will discard you like a piece of trash…if they don't kill you. Open your eyes," Shepard warned him.

"Ahhh," he growled and shook his head. "… Collectors want plague. You…you work for the doctor, turn on machine, put cure in air. We kill you first!"

Six vorcha began raining bullets at them. Six. Really? Cakewalk. The drones shot towards the vorcha. She and Garrus took the first bit of cover in the middle, while Jacob and Legion spread out to either side. She and Garrus looked at each other, nodded and pulled their snipers. She shot up, fired and amped overload charge at the vorcha. Three were swept up in it, twitching, while the others spread out. She threw a sonic blast at the vorcha and sent them smashing against the wall. The drones were relentless in their harassment of the remaining vorcha…Grim being a deadly harassment. Sniper rifles danced. A few moments later and the room scanned clean.

"Shepard I've scanned the room. The central control system is in an alcove in the center of the back wall. You can inject the cure and reinitialize the systems there," EDI informed them.

As soon as the cure is in place gunfire broke out. She spun around and ducked behind the nearest cover. She aimed her Viper at the two vorcha with rocket launchers on the sniper perch. Two head shots each and they were down. Her team took care of the two on the floor.

"I have located the fan controls. There are two. One on either side of the room you are in now," EDI stated.

"Thank you EDI."

"Since the fans are on opposite sides of the room, Garrus and Legion head to the fan on the right, Jacob and I will hit the left one."

"Absolutely not." Garrus stated… and then coughed. His eyes shot to hers. "It was only a tickle."

She gave him a hard look and then nodded. "We need to get the fans on fast before more people die from plague and before the whole district suffocates. Splitting up…It's our best chance. You know how I do things. You are the only one capable enough, Garrus. There is no choice in this matter. Every minute we take wastes lives. Our omni-tools are synced; we will be in constant contact."

At his unhappy nod of consent she said, "Move out. Grim, go with Garrus."

She watched them head right and then looked at Jacob and nodded. They went towards the stairs to the left. Several vorcha and a krogan raced up the stairs the same stairs. She hit them with an amped overload chain and followed it with a sonic blast. The vorcha went flying, the krogan shook it off and charged. She backed up, grabbed her bats and flicked the weapon out of his hands. Then she charged them with electricity, she flicked him, sending him dancing away. She blasted him with a sonic wave and sent him crashing into the wall. She charged her bats, one hot and one cold and continued to flicked them at him until he stopped moving. They looked around. They heard a vorcha growling, but couldn't see him. She scanned the area and moved until she was in front of his radar ping. She saw him trapped above on a rafter. Two headshots and he tumbled to the floor below. A rocket flew by her. She ducked behind the half-wall. Making it the damn stairs was a feat in itself. She hoped Garrus and Legion were having better luck.

She could hear gunfire over the synced omni-tools. She heard Garrus grunt. "I'm okay," he said before she could ask. A few moments later, "Almost there," he said.

"That makes one of us," she said.

"Resistance was lighter than I expected," he told her.

There were vorcha to either side across the way and vorcha on the floor below. She threw a sonic blast towards each of the vorcha across from her and sent them flying. A new vorcha came through the door to take his place. She fired an incineration blast at him and he exploded. Yes! God love vorcha carrying flame throwers.

Another rocket flew by her. That one was closer than she liked. She put two headshots into the remaining vorcha across from her. Another came in as he was going down. She shot out a combat drone that harassed him enough that she was able to put a couple of bullets into his head. He tumbled over the railing and crashed into two vorcha and sent them sprawling. Bowling for buzzards…she laughed. She hadn't intended for that to happen. She hadn't even noticed where the vorcha down there were…but, luck and timing could be an amazing combination. She threw a turret at the vorcha and signaled Jacob to finish them off.

"Hostiles eliminated," Legion stated.

"It's on, and heading your way," said Garrus a few moments later. The fan kicked on, sending debris flying.

She leapt up from her cover and headed for the stairs to confront the krogan. She fired a sonic blast at him, sending him tumbling down the stairs. She threw an overload charge at him and peppered him with bullets until he dropped.

Time to get the second fan on. She ran down the stairs, through the door and reactivated the fan. It was done.

As she walked back out the door, Garrus scooped her up and whirled her around. He turned his head and gave a light cough.

"A tickle…I know," she said. The cough was lighter than before; the cure must be taking effect or the cells were kicking in. She kissed him and then put her arm through his. They made their way back to Mordin.

"Resistance was much thicker on your route, Shepard," Garrus pointed out.

"Luck of the draw, babe." Relieved it had worked out that way, especially since he had been ill.

"You should have kept Grim with you." He gave her a hard look.

"I wasn't coughing. Besides, I had a combat drone and turrets, so we each had four on or side to fight with."

Garrus scoffed. "You cannot compare Grim to a combat drone and a turret."

They walked into the clinic and headed directly to Mordin.

"Environmental systems engaged. Airborne viral levels dropping. Patients improving. Vorcha retreating. Well done, Shepard. Thank you," Mordin said.

"And thank you from me as well…those batarians would have killed me," Daniel said. "For a second there I thought you were going to kill them after they let me go."

"I do not kill someone on the premise that they might do something wrong. They were frightened. They chose not to hurt you, I let them leave," Shepard explained.

"Merciful of you. Risky. Would have killed them myself," Mordin stated.

"Professor, how can you say that? You're a doctor…you help people," Daniel said horrified.

"Lots of ways to help people. Sometimes heal patients…Sometimes execute dangerous people. Either way helps," Mordin informed him. "Go check on the patients. Lots of work to do. Think about what I said."

"Daniel, he's right. You should listen to him," Garrus said.

Mordin turned to Shepard. "Good kid. A bit naïve. He'll learn. Letting him take over the clinic. Should be able to handle it now that the vorcha are gone."

Garrus gave a slight cough and Mordin walked over to him. He looked him over. "Turian. Fine specimen. Voice familiar. Ah, voice on radio. The husband," he said nodding to himself. "Healing remarkably fast."  
He injected Garrus with the cure to speed up his recovery and gave him a dose of medi-gel. Then he scanned him and nodded.

Garrus looked at her. She smiled and winked at him. He stood there a moment stunned. Then he flared one of his mandibles at her in a lopsided smile. He saw her eyes go soft…he hoped he might just be able to make her forget that she had been upset with him. Ok, furious was probably more accurate.

"Are you willing to help us stop the Collectors?" she asked Mordin.

"Yes," said Mordin. "Unexpected to be working with Cerberus. Many surprises. Meet you at your ship. Looking forward to it."

She nodded, looked around and discovered a familiar face.

"I…I know you . From the apartment. You found me," the batarian said. "You told Mordin about me, didn't you? You…you saved my life."

"You look a lot better. How did you make it to Mordin's?"

"Two of Mordin's assistants found me. They gave me the vaccine and brought me back here once I was stable. They were humans…but they risked their lives to find me and bring me to safety," he said in awe.

"I hope you remember this the next time you judge our whole species."

"I'm sorry. I was wrong about you, human. I was wrong about a lot of things," he humbly admitted.

"I'm glad to see you are okay." She held her hand out to him. He accepted it and they shook.

"I owe you my life…Commander Shepard. Thank you," he said, squeezing her hand before letting it go.

She noticed Daniel in the next and headed over to see him.

"I can't believe Mordin said those things. I thought…I thought I knew him."

"You do know him, Daniel. He is right. If I later find out those batarians that I let go killed a mother and her children or sold them into slavery, then I did a grave injustice letting them go. Could you live with yourself knowing you allowed that to happen because you refused to kill someone evil? Taking evil out of this world can save more lives than healing alone. Think about it," she said, patting his shoulder and leaving.

On the way out of the clinic, she saw the two humans that had been holed up in their apartment.

"I'm glad to see you made it here safely," she told them.

"Thank you, Commander Shepard, for making it safe for us to leave. You probably saved our lives," the couple told her.

By the time she was done talking with everyone, Mordin came out. He was able to give her something she could use as an enclosure for Geordi. They left for the ship together. Once on board they headed to the Debriefing room.

Jacob joined up and walked in with us."Welcome to the Normandy, Professor. It's an honor to have you on board."

"Yes, very exciting. Cerberus working with aliens. Unexpected. Illusive Man branching out, maybe? Not so human-centric?" Mordin asked.

"You are very well informed, Mordin."

"Salarian government well connected. Espionage experts. Had top-level clearance once. Retired now. Still hear things…Informed of name only. No knowledge of man behind it. Anti-alien reputation listed as…problematic, " Mordin explained.

"Humans still come first to TIM, but this mission is big for them to handle alone," Shepard admitted.

"Tim? Hmmm. Yes. The Illusive Man. Got it," Mordin mumbled.

Jacob broke in, "The Collectors are abducting whole human colonies out on the fringes of Terminus Space….Entire colonies disappear without a trace. No distress signals and no signs of an attack."

"Gas, maybe? No. Spreads to slow. Airborn virus? No. Slower than gas. Drugged water supply? No. Effects not simultaneous….Intriguing…fascinating. No distress calls? No signs of resistance? New technology. Marvelously advanced. But what?"

"You don't have to guess, Mordin. We collected samples from one of the colonies. I'd like you to analyze them and figure out how the Collectors did this," Shepard informed him.

"Yes, of course. Analyze the samples. Going to need a lab," Mordin responded.

"There is a fully equipped lab on the combat deck, Professor Solus. If you find anything lacking, please place a requisition order. Though keeping Shepard out of it might prove difficult," EDI stated.

"Funny, EDI."

"Who's that? Pilot? No. Synthesized voice. Simulated emotional inflections. Could it be…no. Maybe. Have to ask. Is that an AI?" Mordin asked.

"Yes. This ship is equipped with an artificial intelligence," Shepard said.

"Desperate times for Cerberus." Mordin nodded to himself. "Can't risk being captured like colonists. Need to identify…neutralize technology. Need samples. Which way to lab?"

"Follow me, Professor. It's probably better if I show you where it is. Gives you time to settle in before Shepard descends." Jacob said and they left together.

Shepard shook her head and scowled at Jacob. Mordin was definitely going to be interesting to work with. She'd probably need an extra cup of coffee or three to keep up with him. Her head jerked up. Garrus! He pushed her? Time to go have a word with that man.

Chapter 23

Kasumi & the Council

She marched into their cabin, ready to blast him a new one. She stopped dead in her tracks when he stepped out of the bathroom without a stitch on. She saw him stop, his nose quivered, his eyes found her, his pupils dilated…he stalked his wife.

Her eyes flew down to his thickening shaft. There was no doubt in her mind that he'd smelled her arousal, but she backed away from him slowly. She knew how much he liked the chase. When he came at her quickly she yelped and ran. But a naked turian was a fast turian. He grabbed her arm, spun her around and ran his tongue along the pounding vein in her neck. There was no hiding what he made her feel. He peeled the clothing from her body and tossed her on the bed.

After the tie ended and their heartbeats slowed, she raised her husband's chin and looked him in the eyes. "Don't _ever_ do that to me again," she said softly.

"Your shields were down," he said in defense. "If another bullet hit you it might have pierced your armor …or your head."

"As long as I'm moving, my shields replenish instantly," she stated firmly.

"How was I to know that? You have never mentioned it before," he said quietly.

"Well, now you know."

"I'm sorry if you feel I overstepped a line. I cannot promise you I won't protect you, because I _will. _I always have and that's never going to change…but, I will try not to _over _protect you," he replied.

She knew that was the best she could expect from him. She rolled over on her hands and knees and presented her backside to him. She heard his deep growl and felt his talons slide up the back of her thighs before gripping her ass. She couldn't wait to feel him inside of her. Then she felt his mandibles fluttering against her sensitive flesh. She stood up on her knees and looked down at his face buried between her thighs. His eyes bored into hers for a moment before he closed them. "Oh god, your mandibles…your tongue…ahhh." His talons sank into her hips, rocking her against him. He began to purr, the rumbling vibrated through her. "Sweet stars I feel it, don't stop doing that." She felt his chuckle and his purr continued to vibrate against her. She felt a powerful build up. "Oh god, I'm going to come so hard." She stiffened and screamed with the force of her release.

Garrus' eyes popped open, then he closed them and groaned as he tasted his wife. She had never come for him like that before. But, by the spirits, he would drink more of her if he could. His tongue coaxed out every last drop.

"Garrus, did I just…?"

He looked up into his wife's bright red face. "Yes."

"I'm so sorry. Women don't usually…I've never…god, I'm sorry." She was absolutely mortified.

"I'm not sorry, Ari. I'll never get enough of you," he said, rubbing the bottom of his chin against her soft curls. He loved the feel of those curls against him. "I need more," he said, sliding his tongue over her swollen nub. When she came for him again, he slipped out from between her thighs and slid into her from behind. Her aftershocks caressed him as he drove into her with powerful thrusts. She rocked back against him with each thrust and he could feel himself touch her womb. He clutched her hips and pounded into her harder. He loved the feel of her womb against him. Even if they couldn't have children, the need to reach her womb, to drench it was every bit as strong as the need to breathe. He felt her muscles clench him tight. "Ari," he gasped. "Relax, you're too tight, you're going to make me come."

"Too …late." Soft pants followed her words. "I'm coming…"

He sat back on his knees and pulled her down on top on him. He growled out as he released into her womb. He slid his talons up her body until they cupped her breasts. He pulled her back against him and bit into the top of her shoulder as his thumbs grazed her nipples. He rolled the hard peaks between his talons and her muscles gripped him hard in response. He groaned and bucked into her, but they were locked tight. He held her close against him. Sometimes it was hard to believe she was his...that they were together again. It felt like this was all some impossible dream. He feared that he would wake up on that bridge, trying to take out as many as he could before joining his wife in death.

They rarely left the cabin in the few days it took to get to the Citadel. Morning workouts and an occasional meal were about the extent of their socializing. The crew just smiled or chuckled. They knew the couple were lifemates and that they'd been separated for two years. They had a lot of lost time to make up for.

As they boarded the Citadel an advertisement began speaking to Shepard. She did her best to ignore it while she conversed with her companions. "Commander Shepard enter the pass word and receive a free gift….Got problems with collectors? Try Kasumi's credit services….Commander Shepard we have the finest companions waiting for you: perhaps something, smart, petite and Japanese would be your style?...Just enter your password for a surprise package worth millions of credits…Ok, really? How many times can you walk by without stopping?...Shepard – you do have the password, right?"

Shepard finally strolled over to the advertisement display and activated it. The damn thing was too precise to be a mere advertisement and too…familiar…that face…yeah…

"What's the password?" asked the advertisement.

"Cut the crap," Shepard responded.

"Not the password I was looking for…but, it will do," Kasumi said.

"What's with all the secrecy?"

"I'm the best thief in the business…not the most famous….and I need to take steps to make sure it stays that way. I also wanted to make sure you were the real deal – and there's no doubt in my mind."

"How can you be sure?" Shepard inquired.

"There is a certain…aura about you, like you've seen things no one else has," Kasumi replied.

"How did you get mixed up with Cerberus?"

"They offered a serious signing bonus and promised to help me with a thing I needed taken care of."

"That thing being…?"

"Donovan Hock killed my partner, Keiji Okuda, to steal an encrypted greybox out of his head…It contained memories laced with data that would prove harmful to humanity and start an interstellar war if it was discovered. I intend to get it back."

"I'll see that it gets done. Welcome aboard the Normandy, Kasumi. I'll meet up with you on the ship," Shepard informed her.

As she entered into the main hallway leading into Zakera Ward, she was stopped by a guard at the door when a buzzer chimed.

"Metal detectors are inconvenient," Legion stated.

"Sorry for the inconvenience ma'am, but my scanners are picking up false readings…they seem to think you're...a…dead."

"I was only _mostly_ dead….Try finding that option on government paperwork," she said sardonically.

"Hah," the turian said, rubbing the back of his neck…"We need to get that cleared up for you. Why don't you try talking to my Captain? He's in through the door on the right."

Captain Bailey was a rather companionable fellow…though not strictly by the book. He updated her status without a thought, saving her several days of busy work. He told her most of the wards are back up and running since the geth attack, and that humans were playing a larger role in C-Sec because C-Sec took a big hit during the attack and humans were the most experienced bodies they could find to fill the gap. He gave her directions to the Presidium and she was on her way. No muss…no fuss. It would be nice if everything went that smoothly.

They hopped a taxi to Anderson's office, where the Councilor was trying his best to delay the meeting. As she entered the door, she greeted Anderson warmly. She had missed him dreadfully. The councilors, however, jumped right into the purpose of the meeting; to discuss her wayward ways with Cerberus…to give her a chance to explain her actions since she had saved their lives during the battle of Saren and his geth.

"Sovereign was the leader behind the geth…not Saren. Saren was an organic and the geth would never follow an organic. They only followed him because he was Sovereign's tool…his agent."

Tevos spoke up, "Saren was a charismatic and compelling individual. He convinced the Geth the Reapers were real…just as he convinced you."

Sparatus threw up his hands. "We have dismissed your claims of Reapers. They are a myth perpetuated by Saren. Nothing more. The hologram on Ilos is no longer functioning. There is nothing to substantiate your claims.

"Sovereign's wreckage should more than prove that its design is far too advanced for us," Shepard said sternly.

"We found nothing to prove that it was not a Geth creation."

"We do not have the technology to create such a vessel," Legion stated.

"The word of your…_trophy_…is suspect. Perhaps the geth following Saren were more advanced," said Valern.

"This talk of Reapers proves just how fragile your mental state is. You have been manipulated by Cerberus and before that Saren," Sparatus spat out derisively.

Garrus shot an icy glare at Sparatus and took an aggressive step forward, but stilled when he saw the slight shake of his wife's head.

"You are wrong; I do have something to substantiate my claims." She released Grim. "Send the footage of Vigil to their OTs. Include the footage of Sovereign as well…please. "

The Council reviewed the footage and talked softly among themselves. Sparatus sent her a calculated look. "This footage is of holograms. Holograms can be faked. There's no way to prove that this information is accurate."

"Are you so afraid that you are willing to turn a blind eye to the truth when it is staring you right in the face? What is wrong with you people?"

Valern interrupted. "We will have a team of specialists review the footage. That is the only consideration we will give you."

"I proved the claims against Saren were true. I kept Saren and Sovereign from conquering the Citadel. I sent humans to their deaths to protect this council," Shepard reminded them. "And you still distrust me? I am beginning to wonder if I made the right choice."

"We are in a difficult situation, Shepard," said Tevos. "You are working for Cerberus, an avowed enemy of the Council. That is treason; a capital offense."

"Shepard is a hero," Anderson jumped in. "I am a member of this council too and I won't let this whitewash continue."

"You know damn well I'm a mole inside Cerberus and not working _for_ Cerberus. I've been sending you reports like I always have. I'm using them to take down the Collectors, that is all...unless you are willing to give me the resources I require to get the job done. Are you?" she asked pointedly.

The councilors looked at each other and shook their heads. "Perhaps we can show peripheral support if you keep a low profile and restrict your operations to the Terminus Systems, the Council is willing to offer you reinstatement as a Spectre," Tevos said after careful consideration.

Shepard threw her shoulders back and stood tall. "I accept your offer."

"Good luck with your investigation; we hope you find a quick resolution and end your ties with Cerberus," Tevos stated before ending the holographic transmission.

"You realize the Council's offer is just symbolic?" Anderson asked gently.

"No need to burn bridges, David," she told her mentor warmly.

"True enough. I'll try to keep them off your back." He pulled her in for a hug. "I've missed you, child. I'm glad your back, no matter who is responsible for it. They have my thanks."

Shepard hugged him tightly and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

They were interrupted by Udina. Anderson sent him to his office with his tail tucked between his legs. Shepard couldn't help but smile. The nasty butt-weasel deserved so much more. "Why do you keep him around?"

"He knows how to get things done on the Citadel…and he loves to attend all those horrid political functions," David said with a shudder.

She laughed and settled in at a table to talk to David. She asked Garrus and Legion to join them. Legion elected to watch.

They eventually worked their way around to current affairs. Anderson explained how the keepers were flawlessly repairing any work they did on the Citadel. It was amazing to watch the improvements occur…virtually overnight. He also explained how little of Sovereign they were actually able to salvage, making it easy for the Alliance and the Council to sweep it under the rug. He hoped the new footage would be enough to make them see the light.

When David made a remark about her _trophy-bot_, she couldn't stay quiet. "I've discovered that some Geth can be reasoned with. They are not all like the heretics that joined Sovereign."

"I would not use that as your next pitch to the council, child," he warned her. "You are fighting an uphill battle as it is, you know."

When she asked him how Kaidan was doing, he would only say he was out on a classified mission and he couldn't get into the details because she was with Cerberus now.

"David, I understand and respect your position. I'll ask no more about it. But, I want you to know that I am still a Council Spectre and under that I'm still Alliance. Like I told the Council, I am not _with_ Cerberus. I am using their resources to bring down the Collectors...that is all. When I have done so, I will do whatever it takes to wipe out Cerberus. Until then, I will send any intel I find on Cerberus back to the Council and the Alliance. I know where my loyalties lay. I also know the Alliance can't or won't do anything about the Collectors. Somebody has to. That somebody is me."

David covered her hand with his. "Be careful, child. Being a spy is dangerous. I couldn't bear to lose you again."

"I'm always careful, David," she assured him.

He raised an eyebrow at that.

"Ok,' she sighed. "I'm _mostly_ careful….sometimes," she admitted.

"I won't let anything happen to her, sir." Garrus took her hand and nodded at Anderson.

Anderson looked at their hands and gave a thoughtful nod. "Have you told anyone else your intensions?" David asked her.

"Just Tali, Garrus and the Council…you are welcome to let Hackett know, but other than that, I'd rather keep this all under wraps. Too many eyes and ears could cause major problems for me."

"Understood, child," David said as they all stood up. He walked them over to the door and gave her another hug. "Come by when you can. You're always welcome here." He turned to Garrus and held out his hand. When Garrus took it he pulled him in close. "It is good to see you back with my girl. Keep her safe," he said quietly.

"With my life," Garrus whispered back.

Anderson nodded and clapped him on the back, in traditional man-hug style. He watched the three of them leave. He loved his godchild and he couldn't help but worry about her. His console chimed, he gave them one last look and turned away to get back to his own duties.

After they left David's office and hopped the taxi back to Zakera Ward, she asked Legion if he wished to stay or return to the ship. He elected to return. She nodded acknowledgement and then realized where her thoughts had gone, Legion was now a he. Two for two she mused.

As they walked away from the taxi an advertisement popped on telling how her next date with Mr. Vakarian would be more memorable if they shared a bottle of exquisite Asari Rose-Wine. Thank you advertisement, she thought. She'd forgotten that she promised to pick a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy for the doctor. Thankfully, the Dark Star lounge carried it, so she could mark that off of her list of things to do.

As they were strolling through the shops, they passed the Zakera Café and that reminded Shepard she needed to pick up some ingredients for the cook. Check mark two off her list. Done and done.

They were ready to wrap up their visit to the Citadel when Garrus' omni-tool chimed. He excused himself. Shepard strolled on giving him a bit more privacy. She was naturally nosey, so she hoped he'd choose to talk to her later…but – her thoughts were interrupted when she heard quarrelling. And there goes her nose again, she laughed at herself and headed over to the argument.

A volus had accused a quarian of stealing his credit chit. Shepard asked him why he thought she did it. He said she bumped into him and reached her hand into his pocket to pilfer it out. The quarian said that the volus rudely bumped into her and then started accusing her of theft. Shepard turned to the C-Sec officer and asked his opinion. He said his omni-tool showed the quarian didn't have the chit, but that she could have stashed it anywhere, and that he should run her in for vagrancy for good measure. Shepard rolled her eyes. "I'll see if I can find out what happened." The C-Cec officer told her to mind her own business. Right…like that was going to happen.

She headed down to the used ship dealer, but found no credit chit. Her next stop was the Sirta Foundation. They too informed her that no credit chit had been left there. She figured she'd try one more place. Saronis Applications. She finally struck pay dirt. The bloody volus had made a purchase at the store and left his credit chit behind. Bloody stupid prejudiced prig.

When she returned to the trio she told the volus where he had left his chit.

"Well the quarian could have taken it," he said defensively.

"I'll wrap this event report up, but you need to get a residence or I'm going to run you in– "

"Are you two serious?!" Shepard fumed. She got down in the volus's face, "You falsely accuse this girl of stealing," she said giving him a small, but firm push, "and all you can say is she could have done it?" She jumped to her feet and grabbed the front of the C-Sec officer's shirt. "And you," she said pulling him in…nose to nose, "…you treat this poor girl like a criminal, without a scrap of proof and when you find out she's innocent you threaten to run her in for vagrancy?"

"How about I run you in for obstruction of justice?" the C-Sec officer sneered.

She let him go and gave him a derisive look, then scoffed. "Why don't you try? …I'm a _Spectre_. What do you suppose Bailey will say to that?" Her voice as cold and ruthless as her gaze. She saw the C-Cec officer blanch. "You two need to get the hell out of here." She sent a small sonic wave at them to help them move along.

The quarian took a slight stumble backwards as she was buffeted by the wave. Shepard looked at her apologetically. "Sorry about that."

"No…Thank _you_," the quarian said. "My name is Lia'Vael, I wish I had more to give you than words."

"I only wanted to help. I have a close friend that is a quarian and I'd wipe the floor with any idiot that treated her the way you were treated. Will you be okay?"

"Yes. I mean most nights I eat nutrient paste at a turian shelter, but I'm getting by."

Shepard handed the girl 2000 credits and told her to spend it wisely. The quarian flung her arms around Shepard and gave her a hug. "Thank you so much. I now have enough to get the used ship I've been saving up for. You've helped me complete my pilgrimage. I will never forget your kindness to a stranger," she said emphatically.

Garrus caught back up to his wife in time to see her go off on the c-sec officer. She was a sight to see. Bristling female fury…And when he saw what she did for the quarian, he couldn't help but smile. She was everything…fire and ice …war and peace…passion and serenity…sympathy and retribution… all rolled into one…and he loved every bit of her.

When the quarian ran off he wrapped his arms around his wife. She spun around, threw her arms around his neck and gave him a searing kiss. There were a few hoots and cheers and one grumble, but he didn't care.

"I think this about wraps up today's Citadel adventure. Is there anything you need to do while we're here Garrus?"

"Everything is taken care of. We can head back to the Normandy whenever you're ready."

She nodded, "Then let's go."

Chapter 24

Illium

She tossed the dossiers on the table and headed for the shower with her husband in tow. When they were scrubbed clean and well sated, she picked over her closet, undecided on what to wear. She felt armor and guns were too…impersonal…for a first meeting with Liara after 2 years. She wanted to face her as a friend, not the Commander.

"Will you put something on, Ari? There is only so much I can take and I'm about to haul that beautifully naked ass of your back to bed."

Damn the man for making her wish he'd do just that. She chose a black leather dress with an attached platinum choker and a pair of small black pumps. The choker was the only thing holding the top of her dress up. She made sure it was fastened securely. Public wardrobe malfunctions were not something she needed.

She turned to the side and looked at herself in the mirror…the dress was rather flattering she admitted. You could actually tell she had breasts. Unfortunately, so many of her outfits used to make her look…flat…sexless. Today, she wanted the confidence looking good would give her. She wrapped a magbelt around her waist and snapped her pistol to it. She wished her dress had maglocks like her armor did, the belt made for a lame accessory…totally clashed.

She looked at herself in the mirror and saw the pistol bulging at her side. It ruined her lines. It simply wouldn't do. She unsnapped the pistol; her favorite laser sighted Phalanx, went to her closet and exchanged it for her Carnifex. She wanted a pistol that collapsed when not in use, something that went better with her dress. She snapped it to her back where her shotgun would normally sit. She smoothed her hands down her sides and smiled. Better. Synergy…

"EDI inform Jacob to meet me at the airlock in five."

Garrus wrapped his arms around her. "You are looking smoking, Ari. I want nothing more than to peel that dress off of you so that I can make love to my wife." Her desire and pheromones perfumed up around him and his mandibles began to clack.

She chuckled and pulled him towards the door. "Serves you right for making me want you like that."

When Jacob first caught sight of the Commander near the airlock in her tight black leather dress he came to a stop and just stared.

She looked innocently at him and asked, "What?" She saw him shake his head and she smiled. "I don't always wear armor you know. I can be a woman too," she said waggling her eyebrows.

"That you can," he replied and cleared his throat. "Sorry, Commander, Garrus…no disrespect intended." She had been an icon to him. That she was also a woman hadn't fully registered with him. Well, that fact was glaringly obvious now and he was all too sure he wouldn't be forgetting any time soon.

"No worries Jacob…none taken," she replied.

Legion stopped and looked from one to the other. "Is something wrong with Shepard Commander?"

They both laughed, and Jacob replied, "Nothing at all Legion…," he paused to think for a moment. "I just needed to reboot my system after a…umm… system overload," Jacob admitted, a blush creeping into his face.

Legion cocked its head and said, "Acknowledged."

Shepard and Garrus burst out laughing then Jacob caught his breath for moment and nearly swallowed his tongue. He shook his head to clear it and joined in their laughter as they headed into the airlock.

Legion just shook his head over the idiosyncrasies of organics and continued on to the AI core.

As they exited the airlock and stepped onto Illium proper a mid-riff bared Asari trailed by two armed mech units approached them. Odd, she thought. She was pretty sure they hadn't broken any laws…yet.

When the Asari reached them she introduced herself saying that she was the concierge instructed to help them in whatever they needed. She also told them that all docking fees were waived, as Liara T'Soni had already paid them.

She learned a great deal about Illium from the concierge, including the fact that slavery, or indentured servitude, was legal here. Just about everything was legal to purchase here, as trade restrictions were lax due to their need to compete with the Terminus systems. Finally, the concierge let her know Liara's office was over by the trade center.

EDI provided her with information concerning the Justicar Samara. EDI suggested seeing Liara T'Soni for further information on her whereabouts. She headed up 3 steps to a landing and turned a corner and walked into the trade center.

She didn't get too far into the trade center when an asari woman stopped her. The woman drifted into a memory message from a _friend_ she'd made in Noveria. The friend turned out to be the Rachni queen that she had set free on the condition that she disappear forever and cause no harm to the galaxy. Apparently, her friend was doing well, was very grateful, and promised to aid her when the time came to go after the Reapers. That was good news to Shepard's ears…she was more than sure that when the time came she would need all the help she could get.

Heading further down the trade floor Shepard was once again stopped. Gianna Parasini, whom she'd help with a case back on Noveria, waved her over. Gianna was shocked, considering she thought Shepard was dead and asked her what she was doing now. Shepard responded that she was unable to go into detail at this time, her mission was currently classified. Gianna nodded her understanding, she had expected no less. Gianna looked nervously around and jumped up. She instructed Shepard to drink the beer she owed her and took off.

Shepard took the note from under the beer. It was asking her to ask a local Asari vendor at Serrice Technologies about some illegal schematics she had available. Easy enough thought Shepard and she headed over to the vendor. She was able to manipulate a preferred rate from the vendor's kiosk before she asked about any special items not displayed. Parasini jumped in just as Hermia was telling her about the schematic she had available. The disgruntled vendor rushed off to talk with her lawyer and Parasini invited her back over for a talk.

Shepard headed back over to Parasini's table for a brief, friendly chat. Sometimes it felt good to think of something besides the next mission…To let go and just be able to forget about everything…if only for just a moment.

Moment's up…she sighed…time to go check on Liara. She headed up the stairs under the Administration sign. She was greeted by Nyxeris, Liara's assistant. The woman's oily smooth voice made Shepard's skin prickle. Her aura boiled with reds and blacks. It was an ugly aura and it worried Shepard. She wanted to touch the woman to get a sense of who she really was, but the woman was wearing gloves and that negated her abilities.

Upon entry she heard Liara tell a man she would flay him alive with her mind. That did not sound like the Liara she knew and it concerned her. She shot a worried look to Garrus.

Liara turned around; her mouth fell open in surprise. "Shepard," she said and they embraced. "My sources said you were alive…but, I never believed…it is so good to see you again. And Garrus, it is good to see you as well."

Shepard asked Liara to join her in taking down the Collectors, but Liara refused. She said it had been a long two years since Shepard died; there were things she had to do…debts she had to repay. Shepard sighed. She missed her old team…her friend…but, they had moved on…without her…and as sad as it was, she knew she had to let go and move on as well. Too much was at stake for her to be pining over the past.

She asked Liara if there was anything she needed before she left. Liara asked if she would be willing to hack into some systems to help her get information she needed badly. Shepard agreed to help her friend. Why not? In for a penny in for a pound…

She headed back down the stairs and continued through the door at the bottom of the stairs and followed it up to another trading center on the floor above.

As she was hacking the computer terminals for Laira she saw an asari that appeared to be in distress over a krogan spouting bad poetry at her. The asari confided to her their story. Shepard considered her dilemma and then explained to the asari that it was rather simple…either she trusted the krogan in which case she should believe in him or she didn't and her mind was already made up and she should let him go. The asari thanked her and gave her a discount at her kiosk. Shepard nodded and smiled as she watched the asari make up with her boyfriend. She wished everything could be that simple.

As she made her way to the other side of the trading floor another asari waved her down. It was Shiala, a woman she had saved from being the Thorian's thrall on Feros. She was here trying to help the people of Zhu's Hope. The colonists were having health issues due to the Thorian's spores and they hired a company to do some medical scans. The small print of the contract allowed the company to do invasive procedures and if they refused, they would be sued for breach and be forced to pay full price for the medical scans. Shepard assured Shiala that she would talk to the company's representative and try to help.

Shepard approached the representative and quickly discovered the representative had a burning hate for aliens. Her wife and daughters were killed by the geth; her wife during the original geth uprising against the quarians and her daughters during Saren's battle on the Citadel. Shepard managed to talk the representative around by explaining that her wife and daughters had been where they were, because they treasured aliens and asked how they would feel about what she was doing. The representative hung her head in shame and said she would amend the contract.

Shepard returned to Shiala, who thanked her profusely and hoped that someday soon they could both be free of their responsibilities and perhaps get the chance to know each other better. Shepard wished her well and they parted.

That was a bit awkward…she thought. Not just because Shiala was a woman…Shepard…well, Shepard liked men… a lot, her husband could attest to that. But, too, she admitted it was the whole live for a thousand years thing. She would never want to become intimate with anyone who could live that long. She didn't want to be just another notch in someone's belt…a faded memory…if that made her selfish and shallow, so be it…she wanted to grow old with someone and die when they did. Did that make her an age-ist, a romantic, or just a selfish bitch? She wasn't sure and she didn't want to look too closely at it. A selfish bitch was just not how she cared to see herself…it was a tad…unflattering.

Garrus put an arm around his wife, gave her a heated kiss and shook his head at Shiala. Shiala gave a wistful half smile and nodded her understanding.

She completed the terminal hacking and Liara commed her to head back. She asked her team to wait with Nyxeris. She didn't trust the woman a bit. When she got there she sat across from Liara and took her hand. "I need you to listen to me for a moment."

"Of course, Shepard."

"I want you to be wary of Nyxeris. She is not what she seems. Her aura is murky...tumultuous. Her voice oily…I do not like what I am getting from her. Be careful," Shepard warned her friend.

Liara studied her friend for a moment. She had never known Shepard to be wrong, but Shepard had died. What if that had affected her…abilities? She'd known Nyxeris for some time and she'd never been anything but helpful. No, she would put her faith with Shepard. Better to be safe than sorry. She patted Shepard's hand and agreed to keep an eye on Nyxeris.

They then discussed a shadow broker operative known only as the Observer that Liara needed to track down. Liara called Nyxeris in and Nyxeris explained that the Observer was likely one of 5 operatives. Shepard needed to hack some datapoint terminals to find out which operative was the Observer. Shepard agreed to help and headed downstairs again. Having friends could sure be exhausting work at times, she mused.

She hacked the first 4 terminals; the final one was located at the Eternity bar. She was about to head into the bar when a screaming asari decked her. Garrus pulled his gun. She straightened up and gave the woman a cold stare. "That one I will give you for free because you're apparently suffering from head-ass-itis. Know this, I am a Spectre and I do _not _suffer idiots well. Explain yourself…and do so calmly…lest you piss me off," Shepard gritted out. The asari hung her head contritely. She quietly explained that there was a human inside, a close friend of Shepard's, who was trying to steal her bar. Shepard sighed and said she'd take care of it.

Once inside the bar she hacked the final terminal and commed Liara to let her know that she had discovered none of the operatives could be the Observer because they were male and the Observer was female. She asked Liara where the tip came from. Liara called for Nyxeris and told Shepard to come back and see her this evening.

Shephard heard someone yelling and looked across the bar to see Conrad Verner, of all people, demanding the deed to the bar and was dropping her name to try to get it. Oh stars….crazy Verner…what next. She walked over to Verner and asked him what he was doing. He was shocked she was alive, but proceeded to tell her that after her death people needed someone else to look up to, so he purchased N7 armor and stepped up. He was here today to stop a red-sand drug ring and needed to give the deed to the bar to the undercover cop downstairs to help her put an end to it. Shepard looked at him with a sincerity she did not quite feel and told him she would look into it.

Exhaustion bitch slapped her and she stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. Shit…some days she just wanted to bury her head in the sand and let life pass her by. Hell, she'd be content to just bury her head up her ass for awhile…Garrus pulled her into his arms and held her. His embrace bolstered her, she took another deep breath, bucked up and headed back down the stairs to the second floor trading center.

The weapon's merchant, aka undercover cop, was eager to greet her and find out news about the bar's deed. Shepard explained to her how she had softened up the bar owner, but that the merchant needed to go in strong to finish the deal. The asari thanked her, gave her a discount on her kiosk and hurried off to confront the bar's owner.

Jacob gave Shepard a long look. "Did you really need to do that?"

"Perhaps not," said Shepard. "But, it sure as hell felt good," she said with a wide smile. Garrus couldn't help but laugh.

Jacob went still, his heart skipped a beat. Damn, that was going to take some getting used to. She could drop a man with that smile.

Shepard bought what she needed from the kiosk and headed back up to the bar to talk to Conrad. She arrived in time to see the weapon's merchant being hauled away by the authorities. She told Conrad that he was a hero, that the undercover cop had actually been a terrorist agent. She thanked him for putting her onto the agent and then told him to go home and let her take care of things. He said he would do that and she hoped like hell he did, for there was only so much Verner she could take in her life.

She made her way to the asari bartender who thanked her for getting rid of Verner . Shepard discovered she was an asari Matriarch with an interesting life. The woman told her about her past, her parents, her true-blood daughter, her general philosophy and how the other asari didn't care to hear her wisdom so she served drinks here at Eternity. Shepard thanked her for the intriguing story, downed a drink and returned to the Normandy to wait out the remaining time before she would meet up with Liara again. She was curious about how things went with Nyxeris and needed to locate Samara.

When they returned to the ship Shepard went directly to her cabin. She instructed EDI that they were not to be disturbed for any reason unless they were fired upon, which wasn't likely to happen while berthed at an Illium port. She peeled off her dress, laid it over the sofa, grabbed a glass of wine, and headed for the bathroom. She was in love with her bathroom. The shower unit had a built in hot tub at its base. She would kiss the Cerberus engineer who designed this if she could. She started the water, set the temperature and poured in some vanilla spice bath crystals. She watched them foam up. This was going to be heaven…and she sorely needed it. She just needed another glass of wine and it would be perfect. She placed her glass of wine on the tub's edge and lowered herself into the steaming tub. Garrus climbed in behind her. Heaven.

After a nice dinner, she received a ping from Liara. Time to go catch up with a friend.

"It is so good to see you again, Shepard. Every time I do my heart sings because you are still alive." She said smiling. "Garrus, good to see you too." Her smile faded and a frown replaced it. "I'm sorry I can't join you in your mission. I have…debts that need repaid," Liara said quietly.

"I understand Liara…it's been two years…my friends have all…moved on. It hurts, but I understand. And, when the time comes I will help you in any way that I can," Shepard assured her.

"I know you will, Shepard…you always do. I'm always leaning on you…and you are always there to catch me," she said solemnly.

"That's what friends do for each other," Shepard said with a smile.

Liara gasped. Goddess how she missed that smile. She shook her head and sighed. "Yes…and I failed you. The one time you asked me for help and I turned you away," Liara said, a tear falling down her cheek.

"Liara," Shepard said, tilting her head up to look her in the eye…"You didn't fail me. You have a life…Important things to do. I understand. By the way, how did things go with Nyxeris?"

"Nyxeris had some interesting data hidden away. I wouldn't have caught her without you. Now, I'm one step closer to the Shadow Broker," Liara said, pausing… "She was very talented. I imagine that had been ordered to assassinate me…I never would have seen her coming. But, her barriers needed practice…practice I'm afraid she won't be getting." Liara smiled smugly.

Shepard laughed. "So what is your next step?"

"I will gather more information, peel away the lies, shine light into the shadows…and when I find the Shadow Broker, I will hit him with a biotic field so strong that what is left of his body will fit into a coffee cup," she said with a cold gleam in her eyes.

"What did the Shadow Broker do to you?" Shepard was puzzled by her friend's fury.

Liara looked away, then back to her friend. She pulled her into a brief embrace. "Did Cerberus ever tell you how they recovered your body?" She caught Shepard's head shake and continued. "I gave it to them…I gave _you_ to them… Because they said they could rebuild you. And to do that I had to take it from the Shadow Broker who was going to sell it to the Collectors. My friend, Feron, and a geth, believe it or not, sacrificed themselves so that I could get away with your body."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Shepard asked curiously.

"When I gave you to Cerberus, I told myself I was doing it for you, for a chance to bring you back. But I knew Cerberus would use you for their own nefarious purposes...and I let it happen because I couldn't let you go. I'm sorry," Liara said, hanging her head in shame.

"I'm not. Liara…," Shepard tilted Liara's head up to look into her eyes. "You saved my life by giving me to Cerberus….And, by doing so you have given me the chance to save countless other lives. Thank you." She leaned in and gave Liara a brief peck on the lips. "Keep in mind…I will take down Cerberus…but not until I've squeezed every last resource out of them to bring down the Collectors."

"I am relieved. I thought you would hate me if you knew. So, that is why I must destroy the Shadow Broker…for what he did to my friend...what he did to the geth… for what he tried to do to you…and for whatever he is doing with the Collectors."

Shepard looked at her worriedly. "Be careful Liara…don't become the thing you are hunting."

Liara gave her a wicked grin. "Says the dead Spectre working with Cerberus." The smile fell from her face. "Do not worry Shepard. I am not my mother. Everything I'm doing I'm doing of my own free will…for better or for worse."

"And that…only makes me worry more," she said, giving her friend's shoulder a squeeze, pouring all her concern into her touch.

"She is right, Liara. When I she died I lost sight of everything she and my dad tried to teach me. I did not like who I became. I do not want to see that happen to you."

"Thank you, Garrus. I will be careful." Liara walked around her desk and sank heavily into her chair. "I had not remembered just how much of an empath you were."

Shepard looked at her askew. "That is not a trait I would have thought to use to describe myself."

Liara looked over at her friend. "You are a very strong empath…you just have a hard time seeing something if it relates to yourself. If someone had feelings for you, they'd probably have to throw a grenade in your lap to get you to notice," she said sardonically if not a little sadly.

Garrus laughed. "Apparently, that is a trait I share with her. Well, not the empath part."

"An-y-waay," Shepard drew out, "I had a second reason for wanting to stop by tonight." She flipped on her omni-tool and sent an information folder to Liara's e-pad. Cerberus sent me some intel I thought you might be interested in. They think they have a good idea of where the Shadow Broker is."

Liara grabbed up the pad and flipped it on. "It looks like a leaked transmission between shadow broker operatives….some hints of location…and it's about…Feron. He's…still alive," she said in wonder. "Cerberus brought you back…and now they are giving me the chance to find Feron….After two years…I hadn't even dreamed he could still be alive."

"He must have been a close friend. Are you ok?" Shepard asked softly.

Liara gave a light laugh. "He betrayed me more than a few times…but, as I said before… in the end he sacrificed himself so that I could get away with your body…I spent the last 2 years plotting revenge…now I have the chance to make it a rescue. But I wonder what happened to the geth."

"You know I am there for you Liara…I will help you free Feron- and find the geth," Shepard said matter of fact.

"We will, Ari. We…not I," Garrus corrected her.

Liara looked from one to the other and nodded. As much as she loved Shepard and as much as she wished otherwise, she figured they'd eventually get together. "The geth was fascinating, Shepard. It could talk! I didn't even know geth could talk. It wanted to find you as badly as I did. It wanted to ally itself to you. A geth, can you believe it?" Liara asked. "It was horrible to watch it die. A rocket struck it in the chest and I could see right through it. It screamed like a living being." Liara shuddered.

"I think it did find me, Liara. A geth found me on Freedom's Progress. It wore N7 armor, but it still had a hole through the center of it. It told me the geth wanted to ally with me to fight the Old Machines. It looks like your geth survived," Shepard told her.

Liara nodded and gave a small smile. "That is good to know. I'm glad it found you. I guess that only leaves Feron."

"What is our next step?" Shepard asked her friend.

"I need to prepare and sort through all the information. I will let you know when I have a plan and we can meet at my apartment. You are welcome to come back tomorrow and get any information you need from my terminal." Liara took a framed picture from her desk, held it close to her heart and walked from the room.

Chapter 25

Samara

They rolled out of bed, hopped into the shower and then she poured herself into blue leather pants and snapped up the matching blue with white trim leather vest. It had a plunging neckline and was cut up to reveal her sapphire bejeweled navel. She cinched up her mag-belt and snapped the Mattock to her lower back. It felt odd, heavier than the shotgun that usually rode in that position, but it was more practical as her only weapon. She attached a couple of extra clips to the belt. She wasn't expecting trouble, hence the lack of armor, but she had never met Samara before and was uncertain what sort of reception she would receive.

Garrus pulled her into his arms. "You are wearing my colors, vela. Do you have a clue what that does to me?"

She slid her hand down his hard length. "I might have a tiny inkling…"

"Tiny?" he sputtered as he thrust against her palm.

"Microscopic…really. I can barely feel you in my gaping cavern."

Garrus' mandibles dropped and his eye narrowed. "Arianna!"

"I could be mistaken…you'll have to refresh my memory when we get back."

"I'm about to refresh it now." He made a grab for his wife, but she darted out of reach. She laughed as she fled out the door of the cabin with Garrus in hot pursuit. He caught up to her in the elevator. His kisses were demanding, his touch bold. She pulled up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He thrust against her heat.

They hadn't even realized the elevator had stopped until someone cleared their throat repeatedly. She slid her legs down and sighed. She turned to face the young man, whose face was bright red. He saluted her. "Carry on," she said in acknowledgement. She grabbed her husband's hand and headed for the mess.

Shepard began picking at the food, hungrier than she thought she'd be. She and Garrus absently fed each other as they talked. She tore open 3 packages of vanilla creamer powder, poured them into her coffee and stirred it. She liked it sweet as sin.

"I might be levo now, but I doubt I would ever be able to stomach that."

"EDI have Legion meet me in the airlock in 10."

"10? Really, wife?" Garrus jumped up and double timed it to the armory to get suited up.

"Will do, Shepard," EDI replied.

Shepard laughed, powered down her coffee, dropped the empty tray off and followed Garrus to the armory.

They mad their way to the trade floor and up to Liara's terminal to see if they could find current information on Samara's whereabouts. After they entered her office, Shepard went around the desk and keyed in Samara's name. A report popped up showing that Samara had reported in to tracking officer Dara at the transportation hub upon arrival.

She headed through the corridor under Liara's office. Upon entry to the second trading floor, they went straight to the police station. Officer Dara told them Samara had gone to the Commercial Space Port and directed them to a cab. She instructed them to tread lightly, for if Samara killed a species other than an asari, it would basically be a big diplomatic can of worms. Shepard hoped it wouldn't come to that…she was not partial to worms.

When they exited a taxi a volus merchant, Pitne For, was complaining about how his partner was killed by eclipse mercs and everyone was in fear of the justicar. He told them she'd gone to the crime scene, but if they wanted to get in there, they'd need to speak to the detective who sealed the area off.

Shepard nodded. "I should go." She told the volus and they walked into the police station. She sat down opposite detective Anaya and informed her that she needed to find Samara.

"If you have a score to settle with Samara, take it somewhere else…I have more than enough trouble already," Detective Anaya informed her.

"I need to recruit her for a mission and then we'll be on our way."

"Well, justicars usually work alone…but they are drawn to impossible causes."

"Impossible suggests she never succeeds. Perhaps she would be interested in our cause…it is merely improbable," Legion explained.

"If you are getting her out of my district, I'll get you to her ASAP; she's over at the crime scene. I'll send word to let them know you're coming." Anaya nodded her head in the direction of the crime scene.

"Why are you so anxious to get her out of your district?" Shepard asked curiously, even though she was already aware of the can of worms. She really just couldn't help herself. She was nosier than Pinocchio and had a need to ferret out as much information as possible.

"My bosses fear she will start a big cross-species incident, so they have asked me to detain her. If I try to do that, she'll kill me. I have no interest in dying. So if you can lure her away with some _big_, noble cause before I have to carry out my orders, I'm thrilled to help you," said detective Anaya.

"What can you tell me about the crime scene?"

"A volus merchant was found murdered. A professional hit…probably the local Eclipse merc band. If the volus was dirty, maybe it's a deal gone bad," Anaya replied.

"I have to go," said Shepard, rising from the chair. Anaya wished her luck.

When she entered the crime scene the guards warned her to be careful. A few steps in she found a terminal that begged to be abused. She opened it up and discovered a message that discussed a theft against someone by the name of Thax. She uploaded the info and asked EDI to forward it to Thax if she found him. She turned to kiss her husband for luck.

They rounded a corner; she pillaged some credits at the bottom of some stairs and then proceeded up another stair case. They could hear the mercs talking before they came into view. The mechs went down fast, the mercs falling soon after. They entered through another sectioned off area, where they saw a red suited asari interrogate and kill a local merc who refused to cooperate. She turned and approached them.

"I am Samara, a servant of the justicar code. My quarrel is with these eclipse sisters, yet I see three well armed people before me. Are we friend or foe?"

"My name is Commander Shepard and I need your help to take down the Collectors."

"You honor me. The Collectors are a formidable foe. But I am in the middle of an investigation, tracking a dangerous fugitive. These eclipse sisters have smuggled her off world and I must find the name of the ship she left on."

Detective Anaya walked in. "I wish you had left with the human Justicar, because I have orders to bring you in."

"You risk a great deal following your orders detective. Fortunately, the code allows me to give you one day and then I must return to my investigation," Samara informed her.

"I will not be able to release you that soon," the detective replied.

"You won't be able to stop me," came the cold reply.

Shepard did not like the direction this was going. "I will get the name of the ship for you, Samara."

"If you do that I will join you and the code will be satisfied. If not, I will be forced to kill many innocents or be killed myself. By joining you I would be able to resume my investigation if I survive your mission. I would prefer that to killing innocents," Samara said plainly.

"Have you found any leads?"

"The eclipse sisters are going after the volus, Pitne For; he may be willing to tell you more to save his own hide," Samara explained as she walked away with the detective.

Pitne For was at first reluctant to talk, but quickly realized he was out of options if he wanted to survive. Which he did. He explained he sold a chemical to the eclipse to boost biotic ability…he did, however, fail to mention that it was also toxic. He gave her the copy of a pass card he'd made for the eclipse base.

They were now able to enter the base proper. The first wave of mercs to hit them was rather weak. The mercs were quick to lob containers of the toxic chemical at them. They dodged the canisters and darted around or through the toxic red clouds that ensued. Since none of them were biotics, they weren't able to garner the sole benefit the toxin had to offer.

As they advanced into the base, she came upon an eclipse sister, Elnora, hiding in a room. It didn't end well…for Elnora, anyway. Shepard shivered…she'd gotten a bad vibe from the girl and her aura was a putrid, dark, mottled color.

They left the room and proceeded up a long flight of stairs, through a door and up another set of stairs. More mercs were waiting for them. They slowly worked their way through the next floor. In a back room she hacked into a terminal for more credits and then proceeded up the stairs to the next floor. Another round of mercs and another flight of stairs…a corner and more stairs. Well, her ass was getting a good work out today, in any event.

They finally entered into some kind of warehouse. She grabbed some platinum, went up the stairs of the closest bridge, took out a mech, and it became a free-for-all shoot fest between her squad and the eclipse squad across the floor. She released Grim and Legion lobbed an attack drone at them, which made things a lot easier since they were too far away for anything but snipers to be effective. They apparently had no engineers in their squad…sucks to be them. When the mercs were down they moved out across the floor and through a back passageway.

She accessed a message on a computer terminal that told of Elnora's gleeful accounting of how she murdered the volus.

"Elnora _was_ the murder. That's my girl, beauty and brains." Garrus stated proudly and she sent him a _very_ promising wink.

"This information will be useful to detective Anaya," Legion pointed out.

That it will, thought Shepard as she pilfered some credits. They passed through two more doors before they were greeted by another 3 mechs. Easy-peasy. She headed out across a small walk-bridge when Garrus shouted, "Gunship above!" They all dove for cover.

Shepard pulled out her Arc Projector, stood up and fired a charge at the gunship. It fired a rocket at her and she dove back behind cover. Grim shot out rockets. After a few more exchanged rounds it ducked down and then flew in over their heads to take them out from behind, but they had finally pumped enough firepower into it to take it down…in a rather splendid display of flame and shrapnel.

She hacked them through a locked door and picked up a data pad. It contained a shipping manifest of red sand and mitigen X3 that Pitne For had smuggled onto Illium and sold to the eclipse mercs.

"This proves the volus is dirty. Another little tidbit Anaya might be interested to learn." Garrus said with a nod of satisfaction.

She turned to Legion, "What do you think of drug use?"

"It improves short term performance at the expense of long term survivability…Similar to geth over clocking themselves. However, should our platform be damaged by over clocking, we can be repaired. Why an organic would choose this is puzzling."

"Agreed," She said. Shepard pilfered some more credits from anther terminal and sailed through another door where she met a strange, bumbling volus named Niftu Cal. The eclipse had apparently filled him full of all sorts of nasties and now he believed himself to be a biotic god. Could the day get any weirder?

"I know in my head I'm amazingly powerful. I am biotics made flesh." He walked up to Garrus, looked up at him, raised his hand and said, "Fear me!"

Garrus shrugged, looking more than a little embarrassed for the volus.

"The leader of these mercenaries is in the next room…and my biotics will tear her apart," Niftu assured them.

"His operating platform is unstable," Legion replied, flapping his eye plates.

"You need to take a nap," she told the volus. He began spouting his grandeur nonsense again; she gave him a light tap and sent him sprawling to the floor.

"What was I saying?" he asked as he rose to his feet. "Perhaps you are right…a nap now…destroy the universe later." He shambled out the door.

"The first thing a god must master is himself," Legion remarked.

Let the games begin, Shepard thought as they moved through the door to confront Wasea, the merc leader.

Wasea watched them enter. She came around her desk, finished her drink and tossed down a data-pad. "Everything's gone to hell since we smuggled that filthy creature off world. First a justicar shows up…now you. At least I can take pleasure in turning your head into a pulpy mass." Wasea said bitterly as she sent a toxic canister flying towards them.

The mercs went down faster than she had anticipated. Shepard fired a couple of amped overload chains, then she had to move quickly and duck in cover because the toxic powder had taken down her shields. Time for a little pick-me-up. She targeted Wasea, jumped, the disks slid out of her boots and she propelled herself at the asari. She looked down at the dead woman in disappointment. She then noticed the small, neat hole in the side of her head. "Garrus!" she yelled."Will you leave some for me!"

"Shepard Commander, this platform was responsible for that shot," Legion informed her.

Oops. She gave her husband a guilty look. "Sorry, honey," she said as she sent out a sonic blast and threw a merc against the wall.

Garrus shrugged. "I would have taken the shot if Legion had not beaten me to it," he said honestly.

She gave him a hard look and searched the room for another target. There was no one left standing but them. She pivoted and made her way to the pad Wasea had dropped onto her desk. It was the name of the ship. DML Demeter.

They returned to the police station to give Samara the information she sought.

"I must be sworn into your service so that I'm never forced to choose between your orders and the code." Samara took a knee in front of Shepard and vowed that Shepard's code would be her code. She also warned Shepard she might have to kill her when released from her vow if she was forced to do anything extremely dishonorable.

Garrus shook his head. "I would never let you kill her, but you won't have to. My wife may be ornery at times, but she is never dishonorable." Samara nodded her understanding.

Shepard was stunned and honored that the justicar would make such a vow to her. Shepard turned to Anaya and presented her evidence on Elnora and Pitne. Samara backed the evidence as a justicar when Shepard was told it was inadmissible.

With the day's deeds finally over, they trudged back to the taxi. Shepard let Legion man the controls and she settled back into Garrus' arms, grateful to be off her feet and wishing she had something to eat. Her tummy let them all know, on no uncertain terms, that she had missed lunch. Legion asked if Shepard Commander needed lubrication. The three organics burst out laughing.

Once they were back on the ship, she instructed Kelly to show Samara around and settle her in the Starboard Observation Lounge on Deck 3. She checked in with Miranda and then headed to the armory to get out of her armor.

When she entered the cabin Garrus was already there, a large tray of food waiting on the table. He couldn't help but admire how his clan colors looked on her. He walked into the bathroom and programmed in a hot bath. He added her favorite bubble powder to the hot water and returned to the sofa to eat dinner.

Shepard's heart melted. She pulled him down next her and gave him a heated kiss. Her tummy interrupted with a loud complaint and she pulled back laughing.

They fed each other until the tray was clean. "I believe I needed to refresh your memory about a few things." Garrus pulled his wife up and led her into the bathroom.

Chapter 26

The Rounds

EDI interrupted, "Shepard I have a news announcement you will want to hear. Patching it in now.

"The body of infamous drell assassin Thane Krios was found next to the body of Nausana Dantius and several mercenaries at her Dantius Tower penthouse. A couple of employees that escaped alerted C-Sec to the fighting inside. Several more workers were found locked behind doors. They told officials they had been locked in to keep them safe from Nausana's mercenaries. Their savior also took down mercs that had been threatening to kill them. Many more bodies of workers were found throughout the Tower. According to officer Dara, Thane Krios had told her he just wanted to make the world a better place before he died. Officials poured over Nausana's personal files and discovered Thane Krios accomplished what he set out to do. He made the world a better place before he died."

Shepard collapsed on the sofa in shock. Thane Krios was dead? No! She pulled his dossier onto her lap and looked at his slightly blurry picture. Such a waste. A tear slipped down her cheek. While she knew his actions were not her fault, she still couldn't stop the guilt from settling around her heart. As unreasonable as it was, she couldn't help but feel his death was all her fault. If she'd have picked him up sooner…before Samara,she would have been there in time to save him. She could never make up for his loss, but she had to try to do something to make it up even a little bit to his family.

Shepard had always made herself available to her crew. She made rounds once or twice a day to check in on everyone. Her first stop would be to check on Kasumi, she enjoyed talking with the young woman.

Kasumi greeted her warmly and they had a nice chat. She never said a whole lot about herself, nothing deep anyway, but she did have a lot of observations about the crew. Some of which were amusing and some more intuitive. Shepard was eventually able to get her to open up enough to tell her about Kasumi's earlier days as a thief. How she'd always leave a rose in place of whatever she stole, like a calling card. It wasn't until she met Kaiji that she realized she was just being sentimental.

Her next stop was to Gardner to make sure the ingredients she purchased for him had been delivered. He assured her the delivery was made and he'd already started using them. He even encouraged her to take a bite of his calamari gumbo. Surprisingly enough it was pretty good. She couldn't wait for dinner. She thanked him and headed off to see Miranda.

"Shepard, I find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to ask for your help." Miranda said self-consciously.

"I'm always here to talk. What's the matter, Miranda?" Shepard asked.

Miranda jumped up from her desk and started pacing. "I have a genetic twin…my sister. Then I found out my father didn't want a daughter… that he only wanted a thing he could manipulate and control. I didn't have a life Shepard. I was his…lab rat…his project. When I eventually got tired of it I left. I took my sister with me. I didn't want her to live the hell I did. She deserved better. I gave her to a family who has loved her ever since. Cerberus has kept them hidden up until now. But, somehow, I think he's found her. Cerberus is going to move them again and I want to be there when they do, to make sure nothing goes wrong. I owe it to my sister," Miranda said passionately.

"We'll help your sister Miranda. When will this move take place?"

"I don't know the details yet, Shepard. I'll fill you in when I do….and thank you," Miranda said, returning to her desk.

When she walked into the Observation Lounge she was inundated with nostalgic memories. The wasn't the same Observation Lounge that she and Garrus used in the past, but the memories surfaced all the same. She shook her head to clear it and noticed Samara was in her usual spot meditating on the floor in front of the huge observation window.

"I'm glad I joined with your crew Shepard. It's been a long time since I've had the chance to enjoy the company of others. When the time comes, I'll do whatever is necessary."

"You're an important part of the crew, Samara," Shepard assured her.

"That is nice to hear." Samara got up and walked to the window. "There is something I would like to discuss with you. When we met on Illium I had been tracking a dangerous fugitive. With the information you provided me I have discovered that she is going by the name Morinth. I would like to apprehend her before she disappears again."

"Where is she?"

"Omega. At a nightclub called Afterlife – a perfect, albeit ironic, place for her to hunt."

"What is her crime?"

"She is an Ardat-Yakshi, it is an old Asari dialect that means demon of the night winds…but, that is just mythology. She is simply a very dangerous woman that kills without mercy. When she mates with you there is no gentle melding of nervous systems, instead she overpowers yours, burns it out, hemorrhaging your brain, leaving you a mindless shell that will soon perish. With every kill her strength grows as does the need to kill again. She is very manipulative and very intelligent. She's hunted sapient beings for centuries." Samara explained.

"I won't let that continue," said Shepard. "I will get us there as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Shepard. It means a lot to me. There is, however, something you should know. This…_monster_…is my daughter."

Samara explained that all three of her daughters were Ardat-Yakshi, but that two chose to live in seclusion. Morinth, however was always the wild one – she was happy and free…but selfish.

She felt bad for Samara. But she knew there was nothing she could say that could aid her friend. So she simply nodded and told her she'd be here for her if she ever needed to talk.

She left the observation lounge to drop in on doctor Chakwas.

"What can I do for you commander?" the doctor asked.

"I've got a present for you."

"Serrice Iced Brandy? You didn't'!...You know I always regretted not opening the other bottle when I could…I don't want to make that mistake again. So, what do you say….you and me and this bottle right now?" Chakwas said with a bright smile and excitement in her voice.

Shepard smiled back. She was certainly not one to disappoint her friend. "Ok…I'll grab the glasses, you open the bottle." Chakwas' grateful smile lit up the room.

It was enjoyable taking time to sit down with the doctor. They'd not had a lot of time to do so. They reminisced about old times, old friends, and good booze. They even made a toast to being happily drunk…a few more laughs and doc passed out on her. She helped the doc to a table, rather surprised they both didn't end up sprawled on the floor and made her way back to her cabin.

While his wife was making her daily rounds, Garrus returned to their cabin. He noticed their closet wasn't closed all the way and he wondered what had prevented it from doing so. He opened it up and sucked in his breath. His side of the closet was stuffed full of clothing. Clothing in his size. A tux, suits, slacks, shirts, workout clothes, various shirts made of soft material, various types of shoes, and even a few more undersuits. He had never owned so many things. He had always traveled light. It seemed his wife would never stop amazing him…surprising him.

Since he had a moment, he decided to comm his dad and let him know he was okay. "Dad," he said slowly. "I wanted to let you know that all the targets were taken care of. Commander Shepard and her team showed up and lifted my ass out of the fire. I was injured, but am fine now. I am with them on the Normandy."

"It is good to hear your voice again, son. I thought Commander Shepard died?" he asked.

"She...ah...came back. Not much can stop that woman, not even death."

He grunted. His son was not telling him everything. He'd look into it later. "Are you on your way back to Palaven?"

"No…well, maybe. That depends on you," Garrus said cautiously. He really was not looking forward to this conversion.

He sighed. "Speak your mind son. Why does your coming home depend on me?"

As his wife would say, rip the band-aid. "I've found my lifemate, dad." There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

Garrus found his lifemate? He'd only known one man who'd ever found his lifemate. It was next to unheard of. That his son would find his was just…inconceivable. "Are you sure? You have bonded?"

"Yes, dad. I'm sure. We are bound. I love her more than life itself and there is _nothing_ that I wouldn't do for her," he said honestly. Garrus heard a muffling; his dad had covered the comm connection. Then he heard the shrieks of his mother and sister. His dad must have told them. 'Damn women,' he heard his dad mumble and bit back a chuckle.

"Son! Your father just told me the wonderful news! Are you going to bring her back home so we can all meet her? What clan is she from? Do we know her family?" his mother asked excitedly.

"Umm...no. You don't know her family. Look, it's not quite what you're thinking. I'd love nothing more than to bring her back for you to meet. In fact, we're discussing where we are to get married. She wants a traditional wedding, rather than just the binding…and I do too. I want the world to know about us."

"A wedding, did you hear that?" his mother shrieked in joy. He could hear the tears in her voice. "Do you intend to have the wedding here?" she asked hopefully.

"That depends on you all…more specifically dad."

"Why would your dad care where you hold the wedding? I think he'd be pleased if you had it here, wouldn't you dear?" she asked her husband.

He heard his dad agree, but seriously doubted that agreement would last more than a blink. "Mom, I think you better sit down."

His mom grew silent. "Is she pregnant? Am I going to be a grandma?" she asked quickly.

Garrus' mouth dropped. Pregnant? He'd never really thought along that route, at least not past a flickering of hope. He wasn't sure it'd even be possible….though through no lack of trying on their part. "No…at least I don't think so…I don't know. That wasn't why I asked you to sit down. I asked you to sit down because of who she is."

"Well, spill it son…don't keep me waiting!" she exclaimed.

"She's not turian, mom." Rip the band-aid…rip the band-aid…rip the band-aid. "She's human."

"Human?" his mom sputtered. "Your lifemate is a human? How is that even possible? Can you be mistaken?"

He could almost see her fanning herself. Garrus chuckled. "There is no mistaking a lifemate, mother. I've never before been so at peace…she grounds me. I feel whole, complete. I feel like I've come home when I'm with her…like I've finally found where I belong…where I was meant to be," he said with a smile.

"A human has grounded you? I've tried for years to ground you. Well, that's something at least." He heard his father grumble in the background.

"I won't be getting any grandbabies, will I?" she asked sadly.

"I don't know, mom. We're sure giving it the old turian push," he told her. He heard his mother gasp, his father give out a harsh bark of laughter and his sister giggled.

"Are you bringing her home brother? I want to meet her," his sister said loudly.

"Yes, son. I want to meet her too," his mother said. He could hear his father grumbling louder. "Oh shush," his mother told his father. "What's our daughter's name?"

Here goes. One final plunge. "Commander Shepard." His sister squealed in delight. "Wow. When you go human…you go all out," his mother said stunned.

"A Spectre!" his father growled. "No. Absolutely not. I don't want her here."

Garrus closed his eyes as the pain washed over him. He knew it would go something like that. Still, a part of him had hoped. "I know how much you despise Spectres, dad. But Shepard's not like other Specters. She does not abuse her power; she prevents others from abusing theirs. She's not like anyone else. She's a peacemaker. She has a heart as big as one of Palaven's moons and the determination needed to save the world. She wears that world on her shoulders like it is her cross to bear alone. I have no intention of letting her bear it alone. If you do not wish us to be a part of your lives, we won't be. But I have no intention of ever leaving her behind. She's a part of me. She goes where I go." He could hear his sister and his mother tearing into his father and his jaw dropped. That was unheard of. He was the patriarch and no one ever gainsaid him. His father probably didn't know what hit him. He couldn't help but smile over the thought. He imagined the look on his father's face right now would be priceless.

"Bring her home, son. You'll have your wedding here," his mother said with determination and conviction. "Does your wife have any family?"

"She has a mother, Hannah Shepard and a godfather, David Anderson, but other than that we just have a few crewmate friends."

"I will meet your paragon of virtue son and decide for myself what kind of person she is. I'm a damned good judge of character," his father said crisply.

"I will not let you say anything to hurt her, dad. She's my _lifemate_. So, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I'm not trying to be rude, but I will defend her by any means necessary. How you treat my wife while she's there will decide if we ever step foot on Palaven again," Garrus said matter of fact.

His father gave a small smile of pride. His baby boy was growing up. About damn time. Maybe this Shepard was good for him after all. "I won't say anything intentionally mean to your wife, Garrus."

"Send me a list of their names and species and I'll make sure we have everything they need. We'll have the wedding indoors, so they aren't exposed to our radiation, but make sure everyone brings their suits for when they are outside." His mom reminded him.

"Of course, mom. And thank you for everything you've done. I can't wait to see you all. I love you," He said and cut the connection.

Garrus looked up as his wife stumbled into their cabin. He leapt over to assist her. She grabbed onto his shoulders. "Hi, hushban…" she slurred.

She started to remove his tunic. "Do you know how shexy you are?" she asked him as she dropped the tunic on the floor.

Garrus blinked. Sexy was not a word often associated with turians, at least not by other species.

"Do you know how hot it ish when you loook at me with deshire in your eyesh?" She ran her fingers across his eyebrow plate. "Your bluue eyesh are shoo pretty; they get darker like a shtorm when yoou're turned on," she said stumbling against him. "And my heart puddlesh at your feeet. Did yoou know that hushban?"

"No wife. I didn't know that. I'll remember to keep a bucket nearby," he said with a tender smile.

She slapped his carapace and then ran her hand down it. "Yoour shhaft is as hard ash yoour carapacshe when yoou want to be inshide of mee." She ran her hand along the ridges of his abdomen. "I love how the mushcles in your be-lly jump at my touchsh. Shee how they moove when I touchsh them hushban? It'sh like they are floowing….sho beeootiful to shee, sho shexy to touch." She ran her hand down his belly again. "Can I touchsh them?" she asked while she continued to touch them.

"Of course, vela. I like it when you touch me." He liked it a whole hell of a lot.

"Do you wishshsh I had a carapacshe?"

"No, vela. I love your soft white skin. It is very beautiful to me," he assured her.

"When I shee yoou nekked it ish hard tooo keep myshelf from throwwing yoou down onn the bed…or the flooor...or anny damn where." She ran her hands down the back of his carapace….then lower, caressing his ass, feeling its shape. "Your assh ish sho tight, I loove to watchsh the mushcles flex." She sighed and frowned. "But, I never haave the pashence for that becaushe the need to touch it ish too shtrong. Can I touchsh yoour assh hushban?" she asked as she rubbed and squeezed his rear.

"Yes, vela," he said thickly. Unsure just how many more of her drunken declarations he could take.

She ran her hands around the band of his pants to the front. He grunted when she unfastened them. They fell below his knees. There was no hiding what she had done to him.

She dropped to her knees in front of him and ran her hands down his thighs and stretched the pants over his legspurs. And he kicked them away. "Thish too ish moore beeootiful than I everr could have imaa...imaginned." She paused a moment. "When I wash younng my friendsh and I would watchsh naughty vidsh," she whispered and flushed. "But, no maan thaat I have ever sheen ish moore fashinating than yoou." She cupped his testicles in her hand and gently rolled them. "I loove how they arre tighter than a huuman'sh...huumansh' can be sho…shaggy, er sagggy." She released his testicles and ran her fingers over him. "Yoou are thickker than a huuman…it shcared mee at firsht, but yoou fill me sho fuull," she said wrapping her hand as far around his lower shaft as she could and gave it a gentle squeeze. His hips bucked against her and she giggled. "I loowve how w-wide the rim of yoourr head ish, it hitsh my pleashure shpot jusht perf-e-perfecttly and I come from the pleashure it givesh mee," she said as she ran her hand down the length of him. "Can I touchsh yoourr fashinatinng shtaff, hushban?"

"No," he squeaked and then cleared his throat. He reached down for his wife and pulled her into his arms.

"Why not, Garrush? I thought yoou liked it when I toushed yoou? I wash jusht about tooo ushe my mouuth; don't yoou like it when I doo that?" She slurred and fell against him.

Garrus groaned, his shaft swelling more. "I like it too much, vela, and you have already been touching me...a lot. If you touch me any more I'll come."

"Oh," she giggled. "I waant to come. Can I come too hushban?"

"Yes, vela," he chuckled. "You _will_ come," he said as he peeled the dress off her body. He ran his talons down her back and then over her flat belly to her breasts. He caressed them both, running his thumbs across her nipples. Watching them harden. He pushed her breasts together and nibbled one nipple and then the other, wrapping his tongue around each for a squeeze. He slid his left hand behind her head and brought her mouth to his for fiery kiss, the taste of brandy sweet on her tongue.

His right hand skimmed down her belly and through the tight curls to her hidden nub. Her folds already wet and ready. Her hips jerked against his hand and she cried out. He swung her up into his arms and carried her to their bed.

She cradled him between her legs as he slowly entered her. She was so hot, so tight, so wet…he gritted his teeth until he was fully seated within her. When she nodded he pulled back and slammed into her. Long, deep strokes followed by fast, grinding strokes. He felt himself grow heavy, his wife cried out in pleasure. His hips moved faster. Shepard's body arched up, strung tight, as he ground himself against her. Her hips bucked against him and she cried out as her orgasm shook her. When he felt her small muscles squeezing him, he arched back and yelled out as his own release took him. His head came down and his teeth sunk into her shoulder. He shivered when he felt his wife's bite.

He rolled them gently onto their sides so that they could ride out the tie without his weight hurting her. He hugged her close and placed a kiss upon her sweaty brow. "I love you." He told her, heard a soft snore and chuckled. Her muscles continued to squeeze him, but the aftershocks were his to savor alone this time. He wondered if he would keep coming until he passed out. He'd never been tied to her asleep before.

She woke up to a hand stroking her breasts; he rolled her over and flicked the hard peak with his tongue. He worked his way slowly up to her mouth. He ran his tongue along her upper lip, he gently nipped on her lower lip, but she wouldn't give him entrance. He slid his hand down her belly and between her legs. He found the nub between her folds and moved his hand on her until she gasped and cried out. His tongue darted into her mouth. He brought his hand up to hold her in place and he gave her a long kiss.

"That was a dirty trick, husband," she said reproachfully.

"And I told you that your morning breath wouldn't bother me….and you did say we could test the theory," he pointed out.

"You started something, Garrus…do you intend to finish it?" She purred and stretched.

"Absolutely," he said and pulled her on top of him.

She held out her hand as she rolled out of bed. She commed Joker and had him set a course for Haestrom. She had a bad feeling…and it tended to bode ill if she ignored them. They had a quick shower, pulled on their workout clothes, and headed down to the mess for a bite to eat.

After breakfast they mad their way to the newly established rec room. Since their lounges were being used for personal quarters, they cleared out a large storage room so that people had a place to blow off steam. One half of the room was devoted to fitness with mats, weights, and some exercise machines to include her uneven bars and beam. The other side had three sofas, a vid screen, her fish aquarium along the far wall, her model ships dangling from the ceiling (she wasn't sure whose idea that was) and a table to eat at or play cards.

Garrus led her over to the mats and helped her with her stretches. After their muscles were loosened they put on their guards and began to spar. They were able to get a lot of practice in, at least most days, before the sparring took a more sexual turn…and it always took a more sexual turn. Usually, they were able to make it back to the cabin before the clothes went flying…though there were a few times they didn't make it out of the rec room and she had to tell EDI to seal the door…then there _were_ those times in the elevator…

As they were making their way back to the cabin at a near run, Joker commed them to let them know they had pulled out of FTL and would be at Haestrom momentarily. Damn! She told EDI to have her squad assemble in the armory. "Guess fun's been put on hold, let's go suit up."

When she walked into the armory, she noticed right away that the auras of most of her crew were agitated, swirling faster and more frantic than normal. "Thank you for coming down here. For those of you unfamiliar with my practices, I evaluate auras before choosing who will accompany me on a mission. I find I get the best results that way. Auras don't lie. I should have realized that most of you have other things on your mind right now that are…distracting you. We will attend to those issues as soon as possible. Garrus…Legion you'll accompany me, be ready in 10. Dismissed." Garrus stayed quietly in the back of the room waiting for her to join him.

Shepard approached Jacob. "Jacob I noticed your aura is off kilter too. Would you tell me what's bothering you? Is it classified or extremely personal?" She asked when she caught the look he shot in Garrus' direction.

"No…or if it is, it's not anymore. I got pinged by a ghost the other night. My private log had an update about the Hugo Gernsback, the ship my father served on. It sent out an SOS last week requesting rescue. Shepard that ship went missing 10 years ago. I haven't talked to my father since three years before that…he was never really a part of my life, he was gone a lot. I've buried everything but a body." He paused for a moment. "I also want to note that this was passed to my personal log through Cerberus filters." Jacob informed her.

Garrus walked up to the pair. "That's a long time to wait to signal a distress beacon."

"I know," said Jacob, "it doesn't make any sense…and I'd hate to be wasting our time with a goose chase."

"Program the coordinates into the galaxy map. We'll check it out when we can."

"I appreciate that, Commander. I don't expect anything but dusty old bones, but it will be good to close the record."

She nodded to Jacob. "I should go." She headed for the airlock with Garrus in tow.

"It seems that nothing ever changes…you are always in high demand, vela."

"That does seem to be the story of my life," she said with a chuckle.

They caught up with Legion at the airlock and headed out.

Chapter 27

Haestrom

During the shuttle ride EDI informed them that Tali was somewhere in the ruins on Haestrom and that it was overrun by geth. She also warned them there was an environmental hazard…direct sunlight would fry their shields. Good to know. Hopefully, there will be a lot of shade. She hadn't counted on the geth. Perhaps it was fortuitous that everyone else was so messed up that she had to take Legion. That wasn't exactly fair…she liked taking Legion with her…it was just hard to ignore the auras, if they screamed loud enough she listened.

As Shepard jumped from the shuttle and landed on Haestrom, a wave of heat overwhelmed her.

"You like it hot…don't you Garrus?" she asked, poking fun at him.

"Hot…yes. Being char-broiled alive…not so much." He smirked.

They watched a bug crawl into a patch of light and fry.

She did her best Garrus impression. "I hear those are pretty tasty fried."

Garrus held his hand out towards the unfortunate insect, "After you."

She shivered at the repugnant thought. Garrus laughed at her look of horror.

They made their way down a long ramp. Her shields nearly gave out twice.

"Heat is degrading shield performance," Legion stated.

Way to state to obvious buddy, she thought. Damn me. If she could slap herself without looking silly she would. She hadn't meant to have rude thoughts…the heat was just getting to her. She was just thankful she hadn't snarked out loud.

She flipped on her omni-tool and adjusted the automatic temp controls of her armor…she preferred cooler temps to warmer. As the interior of her armor cooled, she sighed in pleasure.

Garrus gave her a droll look.

"What?" she asked sweetly. "I don't like to sweat."

Garrus cocked an eyeplate at her. "Is that so, wife? I seem to recall several –"

"Garrus!" she interrupted, her cheeks flushing.

He shot her an innocent look and raised his hands in submission.

At the bottom of the ramp was a large locked metal door. To the right was another entrance. Inside she discovered a dead quarian that had left a final message. He warned them of the geth, how he had stayed behind, and that finding Tali'Zora and the data was all that mattered. She pilfered some credits out of the med-kit and pulled some salvage from a downed geth. When she spotted the console, she used it to open the main doors to the compound.

As they entered the main compound, they heard the warbling of geth and readied their guns. She made commands with her hands ordering them forward while she was going to skirt around the side and flank them. Garrus shot her a hard look and shook his head. She pointed to her omni-tool; they synced them and left the channel open. She gave Garrus a kiss for luck. When she again ordered them forward he gave her a long look and then nodded.

"Geth drop ship!" Garrus yelled out before she was able to get more than a few feet away. They ducked behind available cover as geth began to rain from the ship.

Legion hacked one of the geth and stated, "Automated flight weaponry," when he deployed an attack drone.

Shepard released Grim and fired an amped overload charge at a tightly bunched of entrenched Geth. Their bodies stiffened and began twitching as the electrical energy danced along their wiring; she and her team sniped them with bullets, while the drones continued to zap any unlucky geth they could find.

When the first batch was dispatched she directed them forward, told Grim to protect her team and she moved swiftly up the ramp on the right. Her shields were falling fast and she was forced to duck behind the first container she found. She unsnapped her Viper, extended it and scoped the closest target.

She took out five geth before they even knew she was there. They were too occupied with firing at her squadmates. She moved up to the next container and took out three more. They quickly discovered she appeared to be the deadlier threat. They turned their focus on her and she dodged bullets as she maneuvered her way towards the next container. But before she could reach the shelter her shields fell and a bullet passed through her armor and into her chest. Damn, that hurt. Must have been a hell of a gun to make it past her armor.

"Vela, I'll be right there!" Garrus yelled.

"No! I'm ok…just a nick…stay in cover. I've nearly taken out everything up here," she said calmly as she could.

Garrus could hear the strain in her voice. Did she honestly think he would stay away if she was hurt? He told Legion and Grim to cover his six and headed up a ramp on the right further down than the one she had taken. There were three geth at the top of the ramp. He sent a hard overload charge that bounced between the three of them and then took them down with his Mantis. He turned his scope on the remaining geth that was focused on his wife. It was flung back by the power of the shot, its head pin-wheeled over a container and landed near her feet.

He watched her give the head a vicious kick before falling back against the half-wall. His heart slammed in his chest as he made his way to her, passing nearly a dozen downed geth. He could see her blood pouring down the armor and splattering around her.

"My shields fried," she said weakly.

"I know, wife…it will be ok," he told her. He kneeled beside her and helped her remove her armored chest-plate. He ripped her under-suit at the seam until if fell away enough for his to see the damage. The wound was below her left collar bone, but in her shoulder. It was bleeding hard. He turned on his omni-tool to give her a dose of medi-gel.

"No! Garrus," she gasped. "If you give me medi-gel, I will heal faster, but with the bullet still in me. I need to get rid of it. I'm going to need you to put your fingers in the wound and stretch it a bit, so it doesn't heal before the bullet is out. My body will eventually force it out as it heals in behind it," she said weakly.

Garrus' mouth dropped open. He shook his head. "Damn it, wife…you are bleeding too much for _eventually_. You need to put that brain of yours to use and create something to expel bullets…or something, you are being shot to damn much," he said angrily.

He was right, she should have already designed something, she'll research and bounce ideas off Mordin when she was back on the Normandy. She sighed, pulled off her armored glove, took a deep breath and reached into the wound to retrieve the bullet. White hot pain shot through her and she couldn't bite back the scream that tore from her throat. A wave of fresh blood gushed from the wound and Garrus quickly gave her a dose of medi-gel.

"One more dose," she said weakly. "Damn thing did a lot of damage."

He nodded and administered another dose. He gave her a harsh look when she sought to put her armor back on.

"Garrus…I'll be fine in a few minutes. Heal fast, remember?"

He looked at her wound and noticed that it had stopped bleeding. He nodded his acknowledgement. But would not be leaving her side again this mission. Period. He was still in shock over what he had witnessed. The grit it took for her to rip the bullet from her own flesh. The whirring of synthetic movement shook him out of his thoughts. He grabbed his Mantis and ducked out of cover.

Legion held up its hands. "Do not shoot, Vakarian. This platform is non-combative."

Garrus hunkered down next to Shepard, whose color was returning to a more normal shade.

"Has Shepard Commander's platform been damaged?" Legion inquired.

"Yes, Legion, but she is doing better now," Garrus said in relief.

"I'm fine you two. Help me on with my armor."

"Ari, I should have been with you. I can't protect you if you keep sending me away," Grim said in exasperation.

"He's right, Arianna. I know you prefer to take all the risk yourself and you want to ensure the safety of your team, but your safety is paramount to ours. I'm not just saying that because you are my wife. I'm saying that because no one else can pull this off. We need you to stay alive at any cost. The galaxy needs you."

She gave him a hard look. "If you need me to stay alive at any cost, that means you too need to stay alive at any cost. Our souls, our lifeforces, are bound. If you die, then I will die. Do you prefer me to keep you aboard the ship nice and safe when I go out for a mission?"

His browplates dropped in anger and his mandibles jerked down. "Absolutely not! I've had your back since the day we met. No one can protect you the way I can. You're my wife! My place is at your side! What I _expect_ is for you to stop sending me away. Let Grim and I do the job we were meant to do. Protect you at ANY cost!"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing the calm to come. "We'll talk about this later. We have a mission to complete."

"Damn straight we will." He put his armored hand behind her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. Despite his anger, he did not want their fight to end on a sour note. When he felt her arms slip around his neck he sighed and laid his forehead against hers. "I love you, Ari."

"I love you too, Garrus."

While Garrus helped her with her armor Legion looked around to evaluate the battle field. "Resistance appears to have been heavy up here. Shepard Commander took out a lot of hostile platforms."

"It wasn't all that impressive. I took down five before they even knew I was there. Three more fell before they gave me much notice. Only then did they take me seriously."

Garrus shook his head in disbelief. If she didn't consider that impressive, what did it take to impress his wife? Garrus cleared his throat…his thoughts went in a very inappropriate direction.

"Vakarian…is your platform malfunctioning? Legion asked. "It appears to be overheating and -"

"Legion!" Garrus interrupted quickly before he could be embarrassed further. "I'm fine."

When she was back on her feet they moved down the far ramp that Garrus and Legion had used.

At the bottom of the ramp she grabbed some Iridium and attempted to enter through a large door. It was locked. They turned right to search for another way in. They took down two geth and rounded a far corner, where three geth were standing over a dead quarian. Grim shot out into the fray, dodging bullets and spraying optical sensors. Legion's drone zapped the geth, giving ample distraction. Garrus and Shepard fired overload chains at the same time. Two of the geth exploded near instantly, their bodies unable to handle to raw voltage shooting through them. Legion took out the third.

She salvaged a geth trooper and picked up a Tempest smg. She snapped it to her side, ignoring it. She hated SMGs, about as worthless as a gun can get - at least in her opinion. A radio transmission sent her in the direction of a second downed quarian.

"The geth sent a drop ship towards Op 2, Tali'Zorah's secure, but we need back up….Break…break… break…Op 1 this is squad leader Kal'Reegar, do you copy? We're bunkered up here, can you send support?... Op 1 this is squad leader Kal'Reegar, come in, over."

Shepard picked up the radio. "This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy, can we provide assistance?"

"Patch your radio into Channel 617 Theta. We were on a stealth mission. We found what we were after, but the geth found us," Kal'Reegar said. "We are pinned down and can't get a transmission through the solar radiation."

"What's the status of your team?" Shepard asked.

"We had a dozen marines plus the science team. We're down to half strength now. But, we made the synthetic bastards pay for it," Kal'Reegar said with satisfaction.

"What brought you so far into geth controlled space?" Shepard asked curiously.

"I don't know, Shepard, I only point and shoot. Something about the sun going bad faster than it should. We'd hoped going low-emissions would hide us... It didn't work out as planned."

"What's your position?"

"We're hunkered down at base camp across the valley. I left Tali'Zorah at a secure shelter and doubled back to hold the chokepoint. Getting Tali'Zorah and the data out safely is our top priority. If you can extract her, we'll keep them off you," replied Kal'Reegar.

"Hold your position…we'll - "

"Wait!" Kal'Reeger shouted. "Watch your ass! We've got a geth dropship coming in!"

Shepard looked out across the way and saw a dropship fly in and take out a group of quarian marines. Shit! Shepard jumped down to the floor below to check for survivors. A massive column fell down in front of the doorway, crushing the quarians beneath it.

"There's some demo charges in the buildings nearby. You can use them to clear the path," Kal'Reegar informed them. "They're coming in through the side; I've got to fall back."

"Shepard, I have scanned the area and located the demolition charges. You will need both sets of charges to clear the rubble. Uploading it to your radar," EDI said.

"Thank you EDI," Shepard replied.

They took out three geth and ran down a small ramp. They were going to hit the building on the left first. When they closed in on the building, geth started pouring out of it. They ducked behind cover and pulled their snipers. Legion's drone took down one hiding in a back doorway. Grim darted around the room targeting optical sensors, camouflaging and targeting the next unfortunate geth. She lobbed another drone and tossed a turret just for grins and giggles. With the geth in hopeless disarray, the three of them mowed them down with their rifles.

When they entered the building she ran up the back steps to make sure it was clear of geth and grabbed a medi-gel from the nearby station. Back down the stairs she rounded a back corner and found more medi-gel…good; she'd replenished what she used. She grabbed the charge and turned to leave. Geth were dropping in. She signaled them to cover and took point. Grim rounded the corner and disappeared. She lobbed another drone and tossed a turret at the geth entry point. She fired amped overload chains at anything that made it past. Her OT chimed. She released Grim again.

"There's a clusterfuck of geth protecting the building with the next demo charge. I'm doing what I can."

"Grim!" she admonished in shock.

"Sorry, Ari…some of the crew have more…colorful expletives." He camouflaged and was gone.

When they cleared the geth out, she sent Legion up a ramp to higher ground and she took Garrus with her to hit the bottom floor. She preferred to be the one going solo, but she knew he would follow her regardless of her orders…and right now she didn't blame him.

Shepard focused on firing overload chains, Garrus tossed mines and fired concussive shots; they ended with a haze of bullets. She was starting to feel the drain on her body from the loss of blood and constant OT use. When the geth ceased attacking, she backtracked and took the ramp up to Legion, who informed her of a log entry she might wish to hear.

The log entry was a notation from Tali, stating that the sun was stable a few hundred years ago and that stars don't die that quickly. Interesting phenomenon, maybe she would research it. She darted across the sun fried bridge and ran down the back stairs. They came out in the atrium below where she and Garrus had fought the geth. She ran into the back building, grabbed some more medi-gel, a heavy weapon cell and the demo charge.

More geth greeted them on the way out. They certainly weren't trying to make this very easy. "I'm heading up," she said, though she knew Garrus would not be able to hear her over the constant gunfire. She didn't order the men to stay in the center, but she ducked up the passage on the left while Garrus was in front of her. She felt bad sneaking...but a girl had to do…She darted up the stairs and slapped the pad to open the shutters, so that she could fire on the geth below.

"Arianna!" Garrus roared out.

Oops…she didn't think she'd ever heard him that mad before. Good stars, men could be so touchy at times...she was on high ground and practically safe from gunfire. A rocket flew by her head and slammed into the wall behind her, sending shrapnel flying. Damn the man for distracting her. She wiped the blood from her cheek. She hoped she that healed before he came storming up the steps behind her.

She rained overload chains down on the geth while she sniped them from her perch. When no more geth made their way down the lower ramp, she snapped her gun to her back and decided it was time to go face the music. She turned around and there he was. Bristling with fury.

He stormed up to her grabbed her shoulders and slammed her up against the wall beside the lookout window. Before her head could snap against the wall, his hand was there to protect it.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" he asked shaking with anger.

"I remembered the lookout room and knew it was the perfect ambush spot. Besides, I was nearly practically safe up here," she said calmly.

Garrus looked back at the burnt crater left by the rocket. "Nearly, practically safe, wife…so I see." Garrus gritted out. "I know it was a good ambush location…I was going to suggest we get up there, but the gunfire was too heavy. Why the hell did you sneak off without telling me?"

"Sneak is such a duplicitous word. I just took an opportunity when it presented itself. You were under heavy fire; I told you, but perhaps not loudly enough…I didn't want to distract you, after all. I did want to get up here and save your ass though…I did not want to see your ass get marred. Though, a small bruise might be acceptable, I could kiss that better…" she said, her voice becoming sultry over the last sentence.

Garrus swore under his breath. "That's not going to work this time, vela."

"That's too bad husband…maybe you'd prefer it if I kissed something else?" she asked seductively.

"Not everything is about sex and you are not going to manipulate your way out of this," he said giving her a stony glare.

Now that was a challenge she couldn't ignore. "It is not my fault that I get wet every time I look at you…that I want to feel you deep inside of me. Do you think I enjoy walking around wet and horny all the time? There are times that I think about you and I actually come because I can't control myself. Do you know how embarrassing it is to be walking down a hallway when an orgasm hits just because I can't stop thinking about my hus - "

Garrus' mouth slammed down on hers…full of anger…hunger….need. Their tongues clashed, dueled, parried for control. She wrapped her arms around him, sighed into his mouth and gave in to him. His kiss gentled and his hips rocked into her. She groaned…damn armor. She wanted to feel his hardness against her.

"Is Shepard Commander ok? Is her platform in need of CPR?" Legion asked as he came up behind them.

Garrus sighed and released her. "No, Legion…I was kissing my wife."

"I do not understand organics. That is an inefficient mode of communication," Legion said.

Shepard laughed. "I happen to find it a _very_ efficient way to communicate...and a very fun one."

Garrus looked at his wife and placed a hand on her cheek, gently touching the new mark. "Don't do that again. You could have died today, vela. I needed to be with you …I _needed_ to, and you took that away from me."

Shepard brushed her lips lightly against his. "I'm sorry if I worried you, Garrus. I can't promise that I won't ever worry you…it's a hazard of the job, but I _will_ talk to you."

Garrus nodded, he took her hand in his and ran across the fiery bridge and down the ramp on the other side. When they reached the downed column she placed the charges and they dashed for cover. Garrus wrapped his arms around her and leaned over her as debris and ash rained over them. When it settled they stood, she shook the dust out of her hair and smiled at him. Even covered in grime and wearing armor she was the most stunning woman he'd ever seen.

As she walked through the charred hole in the column she frowned. "Had I known there was this much room on the other side I'd have just lifted us over it."

"You could do that?" Garrus asked.

She jumped, the disks slid out of her boots and she wrapped her arms around her husband; they rose off the ground to the top of the column, then she lowered them back down, the disks sliding back into her boots. Sweat broke out on her forehead. "Ok, I'm a bit drained, that was harder than I expected," she said sheepishly.

"Is your tech offline?" Garrus asked quietly.

She shook her head. "Not yet, anyway. But I'm not sure how reliable it will be. I lost a lot of blood. My body is working overtime to replace it, but I don't have much food left in my body to fuel the process."

Garrus pulled two nutria-bac bars out of his pocked and handed them to her. "Sorry I don't have more, but I hope this will help a little."

She looked at him in surprise. "You carry these around with you?"

Garrus shrugged. "I have a wife whose tech steals from her body. She constantly gives more of herself than she has to give. I decided to be proactive," he said giving her a hard look.

She glanced at the disgusting bars. They tasted like regurgitated cow cud, but they were filled with vitamins, carbs, protein and beneficial bacteria. She bit into it, grimaced, and darn near swallowed it without chewing. So gross. She frowned and gagged down the second bar. She was thirsty as sin, but she was starting to feel better.

Garrus held his hand out for the wrappers and he put them back into his pocket. They maneuvered through the door, followed by another a few feet in. When the second door opened a geth crawled straight towards his wife. Garrus shot it without hesitation.

"Creator architecture. This is the first design to be seen by organic eyes in 297 years," Legion remarked.

Shepard ran up a small ramp and scanned some disassembled geth guns for the technology; pulled some salvage from two downed geth, hacked a safe for some credits, and flipped on a log journal. The entry was from Tali reminiscing about her ancestors that used to walk these halls and wishing Shepard could share it with her.

A holo transmission activated. "Tali'Zorah to base camp, come in base camp….Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Tali, it's Shepard. I'm sorry everyone here is dead…or they've fallen back."

"Damn it!" Tali said shaking her head. "We knew this was high risk, but damn it." She looked up at Shepard. "Shepard? I'm not complaining...but you show up at the strangest times. We're in the middle of geth space; what are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood…thought you might need a hand."

"Thanks for coming, Shepard; it means a lot to hear your voice. Reegar and his marines got me into the observatory. From where you are it's through the door and across the field. I got the data I needed and I'm safe for now. But there are a lot of geth outside," Tali said earnestly.

"Is anyone else with you or are you alone out there?" Shepard asked concerned.

Garrus put a hand on her back to give her his support. He knew how close she and Tali had been and how much his wife cared about the young quarian. But then she made a habit of caring about everyone.

Reegar had a team of marines covering me when I ran for the observatory. I know at least some of them are still alive," she said turning her head. "I can hear them firing at the geth outside."

"It looks like somebody sealed the door against the geth and the console is damaged. Can you get it open on your end?" Shepard asked.

"Let me see…yes, I can do it. Here. Should be unlocked now. Be careful Shepard…and please…do what you can to keep Reegar alive," Tali said before signing off.

As they passed through the door; Shepard grabbed some more medi-gel and hurried down the stairs. They turned a sharp corner, walked a small hall and turned right, out a doorway, running smack into two mechanical recon drones.

"Tactical disadvantage…recommend orbital fire support." Legion stated.

"Can't do that Legion, The ruins are too old…it could bring the walls down upon our heads. I'm rather partial to keeping mine…besides - brain matter in the hair is a big turn off to most men," she said, winking at her husband.

They managed to take down one drone, but the other vanished.

"Heretic drones have employed optical camouflage systems," Legion warned.

Garrus took cover behind some pipes, Legion at the entryway. She took point and ran up to take cover behind some containers. She pulled out her Viper and concentrated fire on the large Geth Prime in the background, letting her squad take care of the drones. When it fell, she switched to her Mattock and used overload chains and bullets helped them finish off the drones.

They followed the passageway to the right and more drones dropped down to besiege them. Grim was having a grand time shooting down or blinding the drones. Low and behold another geth prime came out to play. Make my day big fella.

When he fell they ran through the far door. Once in the small room, she noticed a wall safe that begged for her attention. After she finished pilfering the safe she spotted a big red 'push-me' button on the wall next to a console. Of course, she had to push it. The shutters opened and a large colossus turned and fired at them. They threw themselves to the ground. Garrus ended up on top of her and for the life of her she was unsure how he managed to do that so often. He gave her a quick kiss and hand up.

They moved cautiously through the doorway and down a flight of steps to a red suited quarian with a rocket launcher, who told them to stay down and be careful. When they hunkered down next to him he said, "Squad leader Kal'Reegar, Migrant Fleet marines. We talked on the radio before that dropship arrived. You've got a geth right behind you!" he said pointing with his gun.

"We are allied with Shepard. We will fight the geth units in this area," Legion informed him.

Reegar shook his head. "You know…ordinarily that wouldn't fly with me, but I can't afford t be picky right now." A rocket exploded nearby. "Tali's over there. Geth killed the rest of my squad and they are trying to get to her. The best I've been able to do is draw their attention. The geth are near platoon strength, but the colossus is the worst part. It's got a repair protocol. It huddles up and fixes itself. I tried to get in closer, but one of the bastards punched a hole clean through my suit."

"How bad is the damage?"

"Combat seals clamped down to isolate contamination and I'm swimming in antibiotics. Geth might get me, but I'm not going to die from an infection in the middle of a battle. That's just insulting."

"We need to get to Tali."

"You move in close and I'll keep the colossus busy with my rocket launcher. Maybe I can get it to drop its shields. With luck, maybe you can finish it off."

"You've done enough Reegar," Shepard told him.

"I wasn't asking your permission ma'am. I promised to keep Tali safe," Reegar said as he jumped up to let another rocket fly.

I don't think so…thought Shepard. I promised Tali I'd keep him alive. "We don't have enough people for you to take one for the team…Stand Down!" Shepard commanded.

"I'm not going to just stand there while you run into enemy fire. They killed my whole squad," Reegar said adamantly.

Shit! Think, Ari. "If you want to honor your squad, watch my back. I need you here in case they send in reinforcements."

"Alright Shepard, we'll do it your way. Hit them for me. Keelah Se'lai."

Geth started pouring down the middle. She sent so many overload chain charges at the geth she feared she'd burn out her omni-tools…or her body. She felt stronger, but was afraid the tech she just expended was going to be a costly mistake. Garrus switched between overload and bullets. Legion hacked those he could and used his Widow on those he couldn't. Grim made a cat and mouse game of camouflaging and blinding everything he could. The two combats drones zapped geth that were entrenched, forcing them out in the open to make easier targets.

When the middle was cleared out some, she signaled Legion to move out. Legion went dark and crossed over to the left side ramp. She signaled to Garrus that she was heading up the right ramp, leaving him to cover the middle ground. "Going dark." She camouflaged and took the ramp up. At the top of the ramp she skirted the first container and ducked behind the second. A wave up geth swept onto the opposite end of the sniper perch from her. Damn. She amped her OT and fired an overload chain, followed by a sonic blast. Geth went flying, but she grew dizzy. She shook her head to try to clear it. There were two large, red geth destroyers heading right at her…they merged together into one after another shake of her head. She jumped, disks slipped out of her boots. She grabbed her bats, tried to charge them, but she was drained. She flew straight at the destroyer, whips whistling through the air. She snatched the gun from its hands and coiled both whips around its neck. Bullets peppered it from behind her. She glanced back and saw her husband taking cover behind a container, his Mantis still smoking from the last shot.

"Give me a minute," she said loud enough for him to hear. She took a tight grip on her bats and spun in the air, the geth was lifted off the ground, it arced through the air and was smashed against the wall. Broken, but still attempting to get to her. She flicked her wrists and uncoiled the whips. She retracted them, snapped her bats to her magbelt and backed off with a nod to her husband. Garrus wasted no time blowing the destroyer's head off.

"Are you ok, vela?" he asked concerned.

"I'm fine," she said. "Or at least I will be. I'm a drained battery right now; I just need to eat and rest," she said. He nodded and they continued to the other side. She pulled out her Arc Projector. Bloody thing took eight charges before it fell. As they walked down the ramp Legion and Grim came up the ramp from the lower floor.

Tali commed asking them to give her a minute and she'll get the door unlocked for them. While she was waiting she located some more power cells she could use for her Arc Projector.

The door slid open. As soon as Tali finished with her download, she turned to greet Shepard and saw the geth, she whipped out her gun and started firing at it. Legion ducked behind a large crate.

"Allied fire…taking cover… Requesting your assistance, Shepard Commander."

Shepard grabbed a bat and whipped the gun from Tali's hand and palmed it. "Tali…stand down, Legion's with me."

"How does that _geth_ know your name?" Tali asked crossly, and then added, "_It_ has a name?"

"He's not like Saren's geth. He doesn't worship the Reapers and he wants to stop the geth who do," Shepard explained to her.

"_It _Shepard…not he," Tali corrected. "So, it's just one of the friendly geth that drove my people from their home world."

"The creators attacked. We did not wish to be exterminated. We do not intend physical harm to the Creators at this time," Legion stated.

"Fine. We can talk about this later, Shepard…in private," Tali scoffed.

Grim circled around Tali. "It is good to see you again, Tali. I'm glad we arrived when we did."

Tali looked at the floating drone and smiled. It was hard not to like the little bosh'tet. "You too, Grim…I'm not sure how much longer I could have held out here."

"If we had not arrived, your platform would have become inoperable 21.38 minutes ago," Legion informed her.

Tali leveled a hard stare at Legion. "Thanks," she said sarcastically, then sighed. "This whole mission has been a disaster. I wish I could have joined you back on Freedom's Progress, but I couldn't let anyone take my place on something this risky."

"A lot of quarians lost their lives here, was the data worth it?" Shepard asked.

"The admiralty board believed the information here was worth sacrificing all our lives for. That damn data better be worth it. The price was too high," Tali admitted.

"I'm just glad you were kept safe. Once you deliver that data, we could sure use you on the Normandy." Shepard handed the gun back to her friend.

Tali snapped it to her side. "The mission is complete. I'll send them the data and join you. If the admirals have a problem with it, they can go to hell. I just watched the rest of my team die," Tali said in aggravation.

"Maybe not the whole rest of your team...ma'am," Reegar said as he limped into the room.

"Reegar you made it," Tali said softly.

"Your old captain's as good as you said. The damn colossus didn't stand a chance," Reegar said with respect.

Reegar told them he'd let the admirals know what happened.

Once back on board the Normandy Tali met Jacob, they didn't exactly hit it off. She had to give Jacob credit for trying, but there's only so many times your face can be smacked before you smack back. The parting jab about Tali getting to know EDI, the ship's AI, was priceless. She absolutely understood Tali's bitterness…but funny was funny.

Tali settled back into the Normandy quickly. The faces were different, the ship was different, but it was a life she had missed. The downtime between missions gave her a chance to become comfortable with the new ship and crew. Shepard checked in with Tali during one of her daily rounds, she was curious about what her friend thought of new ship, now that she'd had time to study it. Tali was actually impressed with the Normandy engineers and the Normandy in general.

"Do you know what happened to Reegar? Is he ok?"

"He sent me a message. He was down for about a week. Any time you get a suit puncture, it's a matter of luck. Reegar got out with a relatively minor infection," she said relieved.

Shepard raised her eyebrow…it wasn't the first time Tali's voice got all soft talking about Reeger. Interesting food for thought. She spent some time chatting with her about Garrus, how they had discovered they were lifemates …how they intended to marry.

Tali was happy for her and Garrus. She was...mostly. She loved Shepard, but that was not something she would ever share with her friend. And the fact that she liked Garrus a little more than she should? Well, that she would definitely never share. Garrus had always treated her like a kid sister, which was probably the only thing that kept her feelings in check for him…but Shepard? She was just too damn lovable for her own good.

Shepard finally broke down and told Tali about her youthful experiment and how it ended up effecting both her and later Garrus. She explained how he was no longer dextro-amino based, but levo-amino.

Tali hung her head. "Ooh, that's not good. Does –"

"Does Garrus know? Yes…yes," she sighed. "He knows."

"Is he okay with it?" Tali asked concerned.

"He has to be. What has been done cannot be undone," Shepard told her.

"That's not what I asked," Tali pointed out.

"I know," Shepard said helplessly.

"Bosh'tet," Tali muttered.

"My feelings exactly," Shepard agreed.

"But lifemates…that's amazing! It just seems so incredible," Tali said, shaking her head.

"Tell me about it."

"I always thought you and Garrus would end up together," Tali admitted.

"Why is that?"

"Because it was so obvious how much you two were in love...You were actually the longest running pool on the ship," Tali chuckled.

"Obvious? …Wait...You were betting on us?" Shepard was mortified that either of those things were true.

Tali tilted her head. "It was not hard to miss the heated looks you gave each other…and Keelah…you should have seen how Garrus acted every time you left him behind. I spent more time in the bathroom those days than any other…it was the only place I knew he wouldn't go," Tali giggled. "It seems I wasn't the only one with that idea. By the time we got close to Ilos, the bathroom was so packed tight it was hard to move."

"It wasn't so obvious to us," Shepard scoffed.

"True…you both were so oblivious…so stubborn. I nearly locked you together in a room with Chatika on a few occasions. A few heated zaps might have opened your eyes," Tali retorted.

"I wish you had, Tali…I wish you had...and what was that about a betting pool? You took bets on if we'd get together?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"No…on _when_ you'd get together. It was Joker's idea. It was all kept very hush-hush…I think only you, Garrus and Kaidan didn't know."

"I'm surprised Joker was able to keep that a secret."

"We all were," Tali admitted.

"I should go. I'm sure Garrus will come find me if I don't get something to eat soon. It's good to have you back on board," she said, giving Tali a hug.

"You know where to find me if you want to talk, Shepard."

"Ditto," Shepard replied. She left engineering and hopped into the elevator. She had a huge appetite and a need to be with her husband.


	4. OneTurianWoman Ch28-33 Palaven-Tali'sInt

**Garrus-femShep**

**Chapter 28**

**Palaven**

The word that Shepard had a lifemate spread like wildfire through the ship. Very few were actually surprised. There was something about her than just didn't make it seem so impossible. Joker, however, was not pleased that he lost the betting pool. The closest date on when they'd get together without going over belonged to Captain Kirrahe. Joker grudgingly asked EDI to forward the winnings from his account to Kirrahe's.

On the next mission out Tali and Garrus were taken. When the shuttle landed she turned to Garrus for the good luck kiss. Then hurried down the incline. They were sent to destroy mechs protecting boxes of supplies. A dropship unloaded three YMIRs. She told them they were each to take on one. They had to save as many cargo boxes as possible.

Tali deployed her drone towards her perspective target to draw its attention away from destroying the precious cargo. Garrus fired an over load charge and Shepard launched Grim and fired her own overload charge. The YMIRs turned to face their aggressors and the fight began in earnest.

All in all they had been able to save 17 of the 20 crates. Not perfect, but acceptable losses. The next few missions rolled by and the couple displayed to the rest of the crew the timing and unusual efficiency they had when working together.

Shepard dropped the datapad on her desk and stretched. It was past time to bite the bullet and contact her mother. She had always been closer to her father than her mother…Perhaps, because of their shared interests and similar personalities. Her mother tended to be…aloof at times. Maybe she should just message her. Damn, that's the coward's way out. Well, when it came to her mother she was a bit of a coward. She had to return a recent message she'd received from her anyway. She sat down at the desk and began to compose her message.

_From: Mom_

So I have to find out my child is alive third-hand from the Alliance brass? Where the hell have you been?

I figure whatever you're doing is classified, likely part of your Spectre Operations. Just stay safe out there, and keep doing your mom proud. And sneak something through a secure channel next time.

Love,  
Your mother, Captain Hannah

Reply:

_From: Arianna _

_Mother,_

_I apologize at my delay in contacting you. I'm assuming either Hackett or David informed you of my miraculous return. I will explain everything I can to you when we meet up again in person. It is not something I care to discuss over an unsecure channel. But I am alive and well. I am currently the captain of the Normandy SR2, if you need to comm me. It is not an Alliance vessel; you will need to go through alternative channels._

_There is another purpose to this message. I wanted to inform you that I am getting married and am formally inviting you to attend. My fiancé is a turian by the name of Garrus Vakarian. We served together aboard the Normandy SR1. The ceremony will be held on Palaven. We are en route to the Citadel, if you can arrange to dock there soon; you may join us aboard the Normandy. If not, I we will be arriving at Palaven within the next two weeks, if you preferred to go directly there. I understand if your schedule is too busy to allow for any such delays._

_I hope you are safe and well aboard your ship, the SSV Orizaba. _

_Message me when you can so that I know if I need to add you to the guest list. _

_Love,_

_Your daughter, __Staff Commander Arianna Shepard_

Shepard received a return message within a very sort length of time. Her mother was anything if not efficient.

Reply:

_From: Mom_

_My daughter is getting married? To a turian? I know you are intelligent, Arianna, so I trust that you know what you are doing. _

_My schedule does not allow me time to dock at the Citadel before you leave for Palaven. I will rearrange my current itinerary to allow for a brief layover on Palaven. Make sure that man of yours is ready to meet me._

_I will see you soon._

_Love,_

_Your mother, Captain Hannah_

They were making a brief stop at the Citadel for gas and supplies. The Citadel was one of the better stops for multi-species needs. Illium was the best, but there were things they needed to do at the Citadel.

Shepard put on an emerald green dress. The main strap was a twisted band of emerald and gold that looped around her neck in halter style. The neckline plunged past her navel in the front and to her hips in the back. From breasts to hip the gown was lined and molded to her, her breasts pushed together by four thin bands of gold that ran the width of the plunge right below her breasts. An emerald danced in her navel. The skirt was angled. It came to just below her hips on one side and then angled down to the floor on the other. She wore her gold magbelt low across her hips with her carnifex snapped to her back and gold pumps adorned her feet. She topped it off with gold and emerald dangling earrings and a gold necklace with an emerald pendulum that swung low, kissing the tops of her breasts.

Garrus' jaw hit the floor as soon as he entered their cabin. He made a bee-line for his wife. They wrapped their arms around each other and held each other tightly. A fresh turian bond mark, along with a multitude of pale faded ones, could be clearly seen on her shoulder if close enough. Those were her only scars that had never healed completely.

But, those scars didn't need to be seen to be known. Scent glands located at the gum line between a turian's teeth are activated during the marking, or claiming, of a mate. A dense, specialized fluid is secreted that flows into, and past, the epidermal layers through the punctures, saturating them and permeating the cells beneath. When those cells reproduce, the fluid proteins are reproduces as well, thus maintaining a constant scent that is slowly flushed out the pores. This permanent scent marker is why such strict laws are enforced on Palaven regarding mate marking.

Humans, volus, quarians and asari do not have the olfactory spectrum needed to discern the marking scent or even the scent of pheromones, but the other species did.

Between Garrus' frequent markings and daily pheromones, she was more than sure she was ripe with his scent. She, unfortunately, could not properly mark him, since she lacked the specialized scent glands, but didn't doubt her constant release of pheromones around him made up, for the most part, for her lack. She couldn't smell the pheromones she released, but the look on his face and his instant need to make love to her when he did all but screamed, Arianna you're scenting!

The crew was free for a few hours of micro-shore leave. Shepard had made arrangements to meet up with David to tell him about Garrus and see if he could make it to the wedding either in person or via holo.

Her godfather embraced her warmly and shook Garrus' hand. He led them to his table and got them each a drink. He thanked her for the intel she'd been sending back. Nothing incriminating on Cerberus yet, but she was still faithfully sending reports about her missions to the Alliance and the Council just as she'd always done. He had asked Garrus about his face. Garrus shot a look at Shepard and when she nodded he explained to David that he'd kissed a rocket and then told him how Shepard had kept him alive afterwards. David smiled at his godchild and patted her hand. He'd always known she'd never lost her abilities; he'd gone along with her ruse because he had been against how the military had treated her by abusing her gifts.

"I always enjoy your visits, child. But I suspect you are here for another reason."

"Yes, I am. I wanted you to know that Garrus and I are together now. We are lifemates."

David was stunned. Finding a lifemate was very rare; in fact most humans weren't aware they even existed. But if anyone could buck the impossibility odds it would be Shepard. He smiled at her. "I knew it! Well, not the lifemate part, but I knew you would end up together."

"How could you know anything of the sort?"

David sighed, "Because I could see how much you and Garrus were in love. If you were going to marry someone, I thought it would be him."

"And why did you think Garrus and I were in love?" she asked, sending her husband a sultry wink. She felt his grip on her hand tighten. The heated look he sent her let her know she must have been scenting. It's not like it was something she could control.

David glanced at Garrus, but the turian only had eyes for Arianna. "Because of the way he looked when he thought you'd died. Because of how you looked at each other when you stepped out of Sovereign's debris. I don't know, child. I could feel it. It surrounded the two of you like this impenetrable field." David cleared his throat; the sexual tension was growing thick in the room. "It still does."

"You were right in what you saw …in what you felt. Garrus and I were so busy reading wrong signals that we didn't find each other until right before we lost the first Normandy. Everyone else knew all along what we were too blind to see." She gave her husband's hand a squeeze.

"Yeah, I know. I lost a killing in the betting pool," Anderson said with a smile.

"Eh tu, Brute?" she asked, shaking her head and giving him a big smile.

David sat stunned for a moment and Garrus chuckled. When he gathered his wits about him he looked in turn from Garrus then back to Shepard. He was happy for the couple. He always had been.

"And that brings us to why we are here today. Garrus and I are going to get married on Palaven. We would like you to be there in person or holo to give me away."

Anderson smiled. "I'll be there. I think Udina would love to rule the roost for a few days in my absence. When did you want to do this?"

"I had hoped to leave here and head directly to Palaven," she admitted.

Anderson looked down for a moment and then slapped his hand on the table with a smile. "Well then, let's get a move on it. Do you want me to fly out with you or would it be more expedient for me to take the Hawk?"

"No...no. Come with us. It will give me more time to spend with you." At his nod a megaton smile lit up her face, she jumped up and threw her arms around David. "Thank you, dad!"

The men gasped in unison, their hearts slammed painfully in their collective chests…and they were all damned thankful they were sitting down. His little girl needed to turn that smile on Udina and Council; …they'd be putty in her hands.

"Okay, then," Anderson cleared his throat. "I'll have a word with Udina and the Council. Garrus, were you going with her? Did you want to stay? Or did you have something else to do?"

"I've got something else I need to take care of before we head out." He shook David's hand, kissed his wife and told her he'd catch up to her later.

Shepard gave her godfather another hug before leaving. There was something she too needed to do before meeting up with Garrus again. She needed to get him a ring. She had a piece of ribbon she'd pulled off one of her garments to get his measurement while he was sleeping.

One of the local jewelers helped her find a metal that was a good match for thulium, the soft, silvery metallic element present in trace amounts in both the carapace and pebbling of a turian's skin. She had in engraved with _Best_ _Friend _∞_ Lifemate_, with an infinity symbol between the words on both sides. She placed the box in her pocket. She just needed to figure out who she was going to ask to be the ring bearer.

She commed Garrus, who was still busy, and told him she'd meet up with him back on the Normandy.

"EDI do we still have my old bed?" When Garrus had moved into the cabin she had her bed replaced with a larger one. They tended to be rather…energetic and the larger size came in handy.

"Yes, Shepard. I thought there might be a chance that we would still need it."

"Good call. Have it set up in the Port Cargo. We will be having Councilor Anderson joining us. Have a desk and terminal set up in there as well. Also, can you try to get word to Wrex on Tuchanka and Liara on Illium and let them know about the wedding? I'd love for them to come if they can."

"Right away, Shepard," EDI replied.

"Shepard, can you come see me?" Miranda commed.

When she walked into the XO's room she was surprised to see Miranda in the middle of packing.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes. I heard about Councilor Anderson's impending arrival and thought to give him my room for the duration of his stay," Miranda told her.

Shepard was stunned. "Wow. I was going to offer him our room. I put a bed down in Port Cargo and figured we'd bunk there for the time being," Shepard admitted.

Miranda looked horrified. "You are the captain of this vessel. You shouldn't give your cabin up to anyone. No. Absolutely not. He's taking my cabin. I'll be fine down in Port Cargo for the time being. Besides, it is familiar turf for him. This was the location of his cabin on the old Normandy."

She thanked Miranda for her kindness and left her to her packing. Miranda could not have surprised her more. It seems there was more to the woman than the arrogance let on. EDI informed her that Captain Anderson was in the airlock.

She greeted David with a warm hug and proceeded to give him a tour of the new Normandy. By the way he talked about the ship; she knew he was impressed with what he was seeing.

David was humbled that Miranda was willing to give up her room for him, but he told her he would be fine down in Port Cargo. She waved him off, she already had her stuff down there, all she had left to do was to switch out terminals. David said he would help her, so she left the two of them discussing the Normandy and, wouldn't you know,…herself.

Shepard thought of the impending marriage. She was excited…a little frightened… and majorly turned on. She ran straight to the forward batteries and into her husband's arms. She grabbed his carapace, pulled up and wrapped her legs around his waist. His mouth came down hard against hers, their tongues waged a fierce battle until she sighed and gave in to him. His talons moved her hips against him.

"You know you did tell me you would be here any time I needed you…and I need you NOW…." She groaned as he thrust against her. "Don't you think you're a little overdressed?" she asked breathlessly.

He wasn't sure what got his wife so worked up, but he was more than eager to take full advantage…and of course, he _had_ promised her….

He was beyond thankful that he'd had Mordin remove the surveillance devices. He pulled the dress from his wife's body, shut down the holo screens and put her down on the console. She jumped as her ass touched the cold panel. He chuckled, hooked her legs over his carapace and danced his tongue across her heated flesh until she screamed and came for him. He removed his pants, picked her up and sat down on the small sofa they'd installed for moments just like this.

He slowly lowered her onto his throbbing staff. He purred in pleasure as her heat stretched around him.

"I love it when you purr like that, husband. It vibrates all through me. And when you're deep inside of me…" She shivered as he purred again.

It wasn't really something he could control. In fact it was a relatively new sensation for him as well. It had never happened before her. But he was surely going to do his damndest to figure out how he did it, because he wanted to do a lot more purring for his wife.

When their heartbeats slowed, the aftershocks subsided, and his shaft released her, she disconnected them; they remained sitting, him deep within her, content to just hold each other... When he slipped from her sheath back into his own they held each other a few moments longer and then she got up, stretched seductively and retrieved her clothing. She tossed him his pants. When they were dressed she wrapped her arms around him, gave him a scorching kiss that curled his toes, which was a hard feat to accomplish for a turian…then sashayed towards the door.

The smile fell from his face as he watched her fall to the ground. He knelt over her. She was breathing, but didn't respond to him. He picked her up gently and carried her to the med-bay.

Chakwas looked up in surprise when they entered the med-bay. Shepard was pale and dangled lifelessly in his arms. "What happened?"

Garrus laid her down on the exam table. He was uncomfortable in what he was about to say. He knew he had to be honest with the doc, but it was a trifling embarrassing. He explained how they'd just shared a moment together. She seemed fine, started to leave the forward batteries and collapsed.

Shepard groaned and her eyes fluttered open. She noticed where they were and tried to sit up. A wave of dizziness took her back down.

The doctor flipped on her omni-tool, scanned and frowned. "Commander?" she questioned looking pointedly at Garrus.

"You might as well say what you're going to in front of him…I doubt I could get him to leave right now anyway."

"Not even for a minute," he told her in no uncertain terms.

Chakwas moved the scan machine's arm so that it could scan her without her having to move, she punched in what she was looking for and a holo of Shepard's body appeared. The doctor hit a few more keys and blew up her ass.

"Well, that's flattering. Thanks doc."

"Oh hush…it wasn't your ass I was looking at. Do you see that small area?" Chakwas asked.

"Yes, but…no. It's not possible," Shepard said in shock. Garrus looked from the holo to his wife, but she remained quiet.

"I know. You're looking at something that shouldn't be there. I need to run some blood work."

"I don't understand, she heals from everything. Is it some kind of cancer?" Garrus asked.

"I'd say more along the lines of a parasite..." Chakwas said with a smile.

"Ok, I'm obviously missing something here, doc…because I wouldn't think a parasite would be a smiling matter…especially not one that size." He glanced again at his wife, but again she remained silent, just staring at the holo and whatever it was she saw there.

"The matter should take care of itself within the next 10 months," the doctor assured him.

"Why does she have to live with a parasite for the next ten months? Can't you do something about it?" he asked. "Will the parasite hurt her?"

"I don't know, Garrus. That's why I want to run blood work. I want to make sure it doesn't hurt her."

"Why run blood work, can't you just remove it? Will it hurt her to be removed?" Garrus asked, unable to hid his agitation.

"I don't think it's the kind of parasite you want me to remove. You're wife is pregnant, Garrus." Chakwas focused her attention on Shepard. "Have you been with anyone other than Garrus?"

She turned shocked eyes on the doctor. "I haven't been with anybody but Garrus for years, doc." Garrus laid a shaky hand on her shoulder.

"Okay…we need to verify the baby is indeed levo. With Garrus now being levo, it should be, but we need to absolutely certain about this. We are treading in unknown waters here."

"Why did she pass out?" Garrus asked in concern.

"She needs to eat and rest more while she is pregnant."

Shepard sighed…she already ate like a varren…and rest was not something she was too good at. She nodded her understanding and sat up on an exam table and held out her wrists. "Bleed me dry, doc. But, my blood results do not go beyond you and Mordin. Period. Do not record the results in your terminal, because I cannot know if Cerberus has a tie in. And only speak of the results in Mordin's lab, as he's already disposed of spyware."

"EDI scrub anything you hear in regards to my blood work if you can't keep it out of Cerberus hands. I will never again be one of their experiments. Understood?"

"Understood, Shepard…and congratulations."

"Thank you, EDI."

Her husband stood behind her, rubbing her shoulder while the doctor took several vials of blood.

"How soon will we know results?" he asked.

"Momentarily," Shepard responded to the question.

Chakwas asked her to lie back on the table and swabbed Shepard's lower belly. She put a dab of anesthetic gel on her and inserted a long, thin needle. Using the hologram she gently touched it to the tiny mass. She withdrew the needle and placed a drop from the syringe on the scanner nodule of one of the smaller machines on a back table. When a light flashed she said, "We should know in a moment if the embryo is dextro or levo."

A holo screen popped up, words, numbers, and letters began filling up the screen. "I'll be damned," the doctor said. "It is a levo," she said shaking her head.

"Congratulations, you two. I will discuss this with Mordin, we will need to keep a close eye on the development of the embryo. Go…eat your dinner. I will talk with you later tonight." The doctor started humming as she gathered up her reports and walked out of the med-bay.

Shepard spun around on the table and hopped down. She wrapped her arms around her husband and they just stood there holding each other while they absorbed everything they were just told. The impossible had happened…not that that was an uncommon occurrence with Shepard…but the depth of emotion left them stunned and exhilarated…and scared out of their wits. They were in the middle of a war with the Collectors…and soon another war with the Reapers…they all needed to be at their best and she was pregnant.

Garrus pulled her chin up to look her in the eye. "If the…baby endangers your life at all, I do not want you to keep it," he said quietly. "I would love our child more than anything, but not at the risk of your health," he stated matter of fact. He lowered his head, placed a tender kiss on her lips and then rested his forehead on hers.

"We'll be fine, Garrus. I'll make sure of it. I know my way around the lab, nothing will happen to this baby."

"Vela, leave the lab work to Mordin, that is his job. We do not have time for you to split your focus. But, tell me - how is it even possible? I might be levo now, but we are not the same species."

"I believe we will discover the blame for this can be pinned on my cells that you were infected with. They are tenacious bastards. In layman's terms, they have assimilated your cells, which made our chemistry compatible, because they are my cells. They cannot alter your actual DNA, but they have altered just about every other part of you. And unless we intend to roll babies out like krogan, I'm going to have look into to birth control after the baby's born, especially with your need to breed when I ovulate."

Garrus' unbound mandible flared wide. "I don't need you to ovulate to want to breed with you, wife."

"That's apparent; as we are pretty much glued together at the hip on a daily basis…and I wouldn't have it any other way."

His mandible jerked up. "I'm okay with that."

She smirked. "You would be, big guy." Her fingers caressed the sides of his neck, toying with the pebbles they encountered, she felt him shiver in response.

"But, you _are_ right. I will not be able to avoid you when you're in heat like I did in the past. From the moment that I claimed you as my mate, I lost the ability to walk away. The need to breed is too ingrained…to volatile. And now that we are bound lifemates…" He shook his head. The lifemate bond intensified everything, sometimes to a frightening degree.

"To coin your phrase, lover…I'm okay with that." She pulled him down for a heated kiss.

"EDI…go ahead and spread the news. Please also forward the news to Urdnot Wrex and Liara." She'd rather everyone learned at once the _same_ story, rather than spreading like a chain of wildfire gossip.

By the time they left med-bay they had smiles on their faces that nothing could wipe off. They all but floated into the mess hall.

David gave her a big hug and congratulated her. She teased him about being a grandfather now, but he loved every minute of it. He had never had children of his own. Arianna was the child of his heart, if not his loins.

Her husband sat her down across from Kasumi and went to get their food. He returned with a platter stacked high. Booze flowed freely, though Shepard and Garrus limited themselves to a single glass. They would be talking to the doctors again soon and wanted a clear head.

As the evening progressed, they moved the party into the rec room, some of the group split off to play cards, the rest gathered at the sofas to watch vids and talk amongst themselves. Eventually, Shepard received a comm. It was time to face the doctors. They bade their goodnights and took the elevator up to Mordin's lab.

Mordin and Chakwas had their heads together when the couple walked in. They looked up and Mordin hurried to their sides, shaking hands with each. "Shepard, Garrus. Congratulations. Baby doing fine now. Surprisingly. But fetal development could be…problematic." He looked over at Chakwas and she nodded. "We've run the simulations. Researched. News is not good. With no prior cross species births…birth defects are…a major concern. Human womb weaker than turian womb. Not designed to hold turian offspring. Could prove fatal."

Shepard looked questioningly at Chakwas, who shook her head.

"Mordin, I'll survive," she told him.

Mordin shook his head. "Not possible Shepard. Ran Simulations," Mordin said slashing his hand through the air.

"Let me put it this way. I. can't. die. Or I can't stay dead."

"Now, wait a minute. I don't care if you think you'll survive this, Ari. I told you I didn't want you to risk yourself. I can live without the baby – I can't live without you. I mean that both figuratively and literally."

She touched her husband's cheekplates softly, caressing them. "The baby and I will be fine, lover. Please trust me in this. I can't die. A uterine puncture would not kill me, it would just be…uncomfortable for awhile." She refused to tell him that there was a chance her uterus could be shredded. And while that too would eventually heal, the baby would have to be artificially incubated for the rest of the term or until it healed. She sent a hard look to the other doctors and gave a subtle shake of the head. He didn't need to know everything right this minute.

Mordin's eyes opened wide and he looked at Chakwas who nodded. He flipped on his omni-tool and scanned her. "How is that possible? Death a natural part of life cycle."

Garrus put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Shepard explained to Mordin about her youthful experiment and how the resulting viral infection affected both her and Garrus.

"Impressed, Shepard. Child scientific prodigy?"

Chakwas laughed. "The Commander's _prodigy_ is not limited to the lab; she is an engineer of unparalleled renown. She picks up languages like we pick up our coffee cups, she - "

"Doctors! We were discussing the baby and my blood."

"Right. Would like to run tests on your blood."

She could see the excited gleam in Mordin's eyes, but she knew she had to nip it in the bud. "I'm sorry, Mordin. That just isn't possible." She explained to him that she and her father were unable to come up with a killswitch for the virus, but had been able to ensure the cells died if they left her body.

"Would like to look over notes, test theories."

She again shook her head. "My father burned everything; no evidence was left behind except for me and my hamster, Geordi."

"Most unfortunate. If virus can't be studied, notes destroyed – how will you extrapolate a cure?"

"Shepard has an eidetic memory, Mordin. Everything she needs to know is in her head," Chakwas explained to him.

Mordin bobbed his head. "Impressive. Let me know if you need my assistance, Shepard."

"At one time I wanted nothing more than a cure, but now it seems I must survive, there is too much at stake. But when the time comes, there's no one else I'd rather work with."

"If my cells have already been altered, why does your blood revitalize me?"

"That is easy, big guy. The cells within your body are refreshed… nourished, you could say, every time you drink from me."

"You drink her blood?" Mordin asked horrified. "Oh...lifemate bond. Yes. Understood."

Mordin's looked at Chakwas who nodded. He flipped on his omni-tool and scanned her. "That doesn't explain anomaly."

"What anomaly?" she asked concerned.

Garrus put a reassuring hand on her shoulders.

"You are not human," Mordin stated.

"Excuse me?"

"Humans have 22 pairs of autosomes, one pair of sex chromosomes. You have 23 pairs of autosomes. Not human."

"That's crazy, Mordin. I was born from two human parents. Besides, that would have been picked up on before now. Could the extra set of chromosomes be artificial or given to me by Cerberus when they resurrected me?"

"No, Shepard. Parents not human. Doesn't work like that. Born with chromosomes. Perhaps dormant until triggered or never tested for chromosomal differences," Mordin told her.

"What would have triggered it? My death? Doesn't make sense…I've died many times," she said in confusion.

"Unsure of trigger. Not human. Sorry, Shepard."

None of this made any sense. She looked like her parents. Her parents were human…weren't they? Would they keep it from her if they weren't? Maybe they didn't know? This was all too much to contemplate. He had to be wrong. "Mordin…I look exactly human. I bleed human. If I'm not human, then what the hell am I?" she asked in agitation.

"Vela, maybe that is part of the reason your blood affects me the way it does." Garrus told her gently.

"Be careful with this information. I do not want any records or information getting back to Cerberus."

"Understood, Shepard. Part of STG once. Know what to look for." Mordin nodded at her. He crossed his arms and paced.

"Mordin," Chakwas said.

"Sorry. Distracted. Embryo."

"Remove it." Garrus said. "I will not have Shepard put in danger. Please don't risk everything for it," he implored her. He knew her. Knew how she thought. Knew she would fight to keep his baby. He had to make her understand it just didn't matter to him. It would break his heart, yes. But it wasn't worth watching Shepard go through pain or worse.

"That is an option. But there is another. Risky, but doable. Can encase embryo in membrane tissue. Must come in every other day. Bubble membrane is thick, nonporous, so amniotic fluid cannot pass through it. Flush bubble. Amniotic fluid transfusion needed to survive. Will be painful, but will provide extra layer of protection. Mordin explained.

"Do it," she said.

Garrus pulled her around to face him and lifted her chin up. "Don't risk this, vela. I love you. You don't need to put yourself through this."

She gave him a hard look and shook her head. Garrus nodded and sighed.

"I will support whatever choice you make, Ari." Garrus said in defeat.

"I want it done now."

"There are two ways we can do this, Commander. One is more risky the other a lot more painful." Chakwas told her. "We can inject a local into your cervix, dilate it and go into your womb that way or we can insert a large needle through your abdomen."

"Give me the needle…I know opening my cervix could lead to miscarriage."

"Okay," Chakwas said. "We'll do the procedure in the med-bay. We'll take samples of your amniotic fluid and more blood and Mordin can run more tests. "If you are sure you want to do this now, let's be on our way."

Mordin grabbed a few extra supplies and followed them out the door. They rode the elevator down in silence. Her husband held her close. In the med-bay she stripped down to her panties and bra and lay down on the table. The husband moved to her side, brushed a kiss on her lips and held her hand.

Chakwas unwrapped a massive syringe tool. Eight inches long and wide as hell. Well, not really, but it sure looked like a stake and she could feel herself tense. She appreciated Garrus' attempt to sooth her, but when you're about to be staked, not much can quell the need to run like the hounds of hell were licking at your heels.

Mordin flipped on the scanner and pulled up a holo. He zoomed in until the embryo until it was about the size of a fist.

Garrus' mandibles fell and his mouth gaped open. He'd never seen anything like that before. He stared intently at his baby…a baby he never thought possible. He felt a deep love for it bloom inside of him. He hoped she would be able to carry his baby to term, that nothing would happen. But if it did, despite his love, there was no choice to be made. Shepard's safety came first.

Chakwas rubbed her belly with something cold and astringent smelling and then applied a numbing agent. After a couple of minutes she inserted small syringes full of a local anesthetic around the area the larger needle would enter her.

She spread her hand against Shepard's belly and place the monstrous needle against her. "Are you ready? Try not to move."

Damn this was going to suck hard. Shepard nodded, "Bring it on." Though inwardly she cringed…it was a bravado she did not feel. Shepard metabolized the local too fast, it did no good. When the needle slid in a hoarse scream ripped from her throat. A dot of blood welled up and rolled down the side of her belly as the needle sunk through her skin. The pain was over whelming. She clung tightly to her husband's hand, sweat beading on her forehead and running down the side of her face.

Garrus bent low over her and turned her face to look at him. "If I could bear this pain for you I would, vela." He gently brushed her sweaty, dark auburn hair back from her face. "Remember the night before Ilos?" When she nodded, he continued. "You were rather drunk and came to see me in that tiny black lace scrap. You need to wear that again," he said, clearing his throat. "When you were lying against me the scrap shifted and I could see your tight, puckered nipple through the lace. I had never seen a nipple before. It entranced me as much as it made me ache to touch it. I remember saying 'so beautiful' and you agreed, thinking I was talking about the stars." He glanced over at the doctors, who were doing a good job of ignoring him. "Stars were the last thing on my mind. All I could think about was your breast…your nipple. What it would feel like. When you passed out I carried you back to your bed, when I laid you down, the lace parted, exposing your breast to me. It was so white…so full. I had to touch you. I couldn't stop myself. It was so soft, so resilient. Your nipple hardened as I ran my thumb over it. You groaned and thrust your breast into my hand. I nearly lost it. I wanted you so bad…too much…I covered you up and ran from your room like my pants were on fire…at least it felt like they were. Can you forgive me?"

Once the needle pierced her uterus, they watched on the holo as it approached the tiny mass of cells. The tip of the needle opened tiny prong arms, which stretched the opening in the membrane bubble. The membrane was released when it enclosed the embryonic cell mass. The needle hurt worse as it was being pulled out than it had going in. She gasped and cried out in pain.

She clutched her husband's hand tightly. "Nothing to forgive, lover." There was little she could do to quell the shake in her voice. "I just wish I'd have known how you felt back then." She glanced over at the doctors and pulled him down. "I'd have made love to you right there in the Starboard Observation Lounge..."

His wife began to scent. His nose quivered and his body responded. Spirits! "Ari, stop that."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "Despite my IQ, big guy, that is not exactly something I can _do_ anything about." She couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped.

Garrus shot her a frown and then clamped his hand over his mandibles to stop them from clacking. Whenever he wanted her too badly or tried to forcibly control his need, they started clacking against his faceplates, sounding an 'I know what you want to do' alarm that no one could miss.

"You and your baby are a picture of health, Commander," Chakwas said, drawing their attention.

You could see the thin outline of the membrane around the embryo, before the holo was cut off.

Mordin turned to them. "Glad all is well, Shepard. Must return to lab. Lots of work to do."

Garrus helped her off the table. He dropped to his knees and ran his tongue along the path of blood to the needle's entry point and kissed it. He then laid his cheek against her belly, fluttered his mandibles softly against her and wrapping his arms around her. "I love you, wife."

She caressed his head fringe. "I love you."

They stood there a moment in peace before he backed away and allowed her to get dressed. They went straight to their cabin. While Shepard hopped on her terminals, Garrus moved to his and commed his parents.

"Dad. I need you to get mom and Solana. I need to speak with you all." He grimaced as his dad turned his head and bellowed for his mom and sister. In the next moment the screen was filled with his family's faces.

"Garrus! We did not expect to hear from you until you arrived." His mom gave a worried look. "I…is something wrong? Are you not coming?"

Garrus chuckled. "Things are more right than I ever could have expected and we are on our way to you. Did you receive the guest list?"

"Yes. Everything should be ready by the time you get here."

"If everything is okay, why did you comm?" his father asked as taciturn as ever.

"Maybe I just missed the sound of your voices."

His father sighed in exasperation. And his mother waved her hand in his face.

"It's good to hear from you even if you just commed to say hello," his mother assured him.

"Well, it's more than just hello. I wanted to be the first to tell you that you were going to be grandparents." He looked at everyone's shocked faces. The silence worried him. This was not exactly how he expected things to go. Then his mom and sister squealed. They jumped up, wrapped their arms around each other and hopped up and down in some sort of strange female dance. Okay…well, that was better anyway…more along the lines he was hoping for.

"Do you know for sure it's yours?" his father asked coldly.

His mother and sister turned on him, reading him the riot act. He was glad they did, because he was furious enough to rip the stick out of his father's ass and kill him with it.

"Dad…you are crossing a line. I don't care if Shepard gives birth to a krogan. Okay, if that happened I'd care…she'd have some explaining to do…but the point is any child of Shepard's… is a child of mine. We are a family. End of story. But Shepard is my LIFEMATE and she IS carrying MY baby. Have I made myself clear?" he asked his father in barely contained rage.

Shepard came up behind Garrus and wrapped her arms around him. "We may not be conventional, Mr. Vakarian, but fates have made us a family…and I think we make a very good family. Your son is a remarkable man, Mrs. Vakarian, and I can't imagine my life without him. Solana…good to see you too. Can't wait to meet you all." Shepard walked away to give him more of an illusion of privacy. She could hear his sister squealing again.

"I hadn't realized how stunning Shepard was. Spirits, brother…did the fates bless you! I can't wait to meet her!" Solana said eagerly.

"Solana's right son…you were blessed. I can't wait to meet my daughter … And I can't wait for that grandbaby to be born. You keep them safe, Garrus! Don't let anything happen to that precious family of yours!"

"Of course I will keep them safe, mother."

"I'm a big girl you guys…I can take care of myself," she piped in.

"I love you…I'll see you in a few days," he said and then disconnected.

He got up from his desk and caught Shepard yawning. He took her hand and led her towards the bed. Clothes were peeled off and discarded, leaving a trail behind them; they climbed into their bed, Garrus rested a hand against her belly, content to just hold her.

"Just so I make myself clear, being held at night is sweet and endearing…but I expect some loving come morning," she warned them.

Come morning he gave her just what she needed…what they both needed. When they finally rolled out of bed she put on a purple workout push up bra and a pair of skin tight sweat-wicking shorts, padded a bit at the hip bone and they hopped the elevator to the mess. They had a leisurely breakfast and talked with their friends for a bit while their food settled.

She and Garrus took the elevator down to the rec room. They helped each other with their stretches. Balancing atop the balance beam, she twisted, turned and flipped along the narrow beam. She flipped off the end of it, walked over to the bench, dabbed her face with a towel, took a swig of water, smiled at Kasumi, who loved to watch the men workout, and moved on to the uneven bars. Her time with these bars would come to an end before very much longer.

Garrus had begun sparring with Jacob. Kasumi wanted to watch them, but her eyes kept returning to Shep. It was not often she met someone that might even be more agile than she was. When Shep flipped off the bars she headed over to Kasumi, wiped her brow, took another swig, and pulled her over to the equipment rack. She tossed her some guards and put her own on. Then she held up her hand and beckoned her. She stepped out on the mats to meet her.

Like she'd done with Garrus earlier, she held her hands and helped Kasumi stretch. They began basic rounds, since they'd never sparred together before; she let her guard down several times on purpose to give her chances to take her down. She needed to learn Kasumi's style. In combat Kasumi generally just went dark and put a dagger in someone's back, so Shepard knew little of her actual hand to hand capabilities. Shepard was impressed with Kasumi's agility, balance and ability to think fast.

She and Kasumi went a few more rounds and then they joined the men in rounds. Kasumi was surprised how much faster and harder she struck the men, she hadn't realized Shep had been holding back. Watching her and Jacob square off was a sight to see. Both were fast …both were agile though Jacob had a longer reach. Their sparring was almost a sensual dance. Garrus was no match for her speed and agility, but she had to watch out for his strength, longer arms and legs. After a few rounds she aimed a scissor kick at his head, he spun her legs, she twisted her body, flung her legs out, pushed against his carapace and they tumbled to the mats, Garrus flat on his back with his head between her legs, as she landed on her knees. His face all but touching the heat of her due to his fringe. Garrus' hands trailed up the back of her legs to her ass and he squeezed it.

Jacob cleared his throat and Shepard sat back on Garrus' chest... They all laughed nervously.

"See, Kasumi? Even a woman can take down the great Garrus Vakarian," she said with a triumphant smile.

"Where did you learn that move, wife?" Garrus asked in a strangled voice. He wanted nothing more than to taste his woman, her scent was a breath away and tantalizing him.

"I didn't…I improvised," she admitted breathlessly.

Jacob reached out a hand and helped her up. "Quit torturing the poor man…you already took him down, no need to rub his nose in it." Jacob stopped. His mouth dropped. "Sorry, that came out sounding horrible."

"You and I have a very different idea of horrible," Garrus whispered to Jacob as he rose from the mat.

Jacob's mouth dropped open again.

Kasumi burst out laughing and pretty soon they were all laughing.

Shepard was doing a bit of beam work while the men returned to sparring. When they finished Garrus gave her a hand down from the beam and they all made their way to the sofa, plopping down in exhaustion for a bit of small talk. Shepard noticed the sexual tension between Jacob and Kasumi and wished the couple well. This was the first time she and Garrus hadn't torn out of the rec room in a sexual frenzy…albeit it came close once.

After lunch they went to the firing range. In actuality it was just a long, narrow room they'd found on the ship that served no apparent function. It had been used for storage. With EDI's and Legion's help they were able rearrange the storage areas they already had to make room for the additional crates. She and Legion then set up all the equipment needed to turn the room into a holographic firing range. Shepard even splurged on the latest artificial guns that shot out holographic ammunition. They had the weight and feel of real guns, but the dynamic cinemagraphic display that enhanced the entire experience. Though real guns could be used with practice clips and had been up until today. Today the shipment of AG arrived and they were all eager to try out the new guns and harnesses, which allowed return fire and the ability to use biotics against the holoenemies. She had purchased 6 of each type of weapon: 3 Carnifex, 3 Phalanx, 3 Eviscerator, 3 Claymore, 3 Locust, 3 Tempest, 3 Mattock, 3 Vindicator, 3 Widow, 3 Incisor and even a heavy weapon, the grenade launcher. She also purchased a longbow just for grins and giggles.

With the room being narrow, no more than six people could use it at any one time. She chose the people she knew would be the most eager to try it out. She, Garrus, Samara, Zaeed, Jacob and Miranda when David turned her down. Ear plugs were required because she programmed in full auditory, tactile, and visual displays. She and Garrus chose holo bottles for target practice, much to the surprise of everyone else. They linked their units so they could compete directly and chose Palaven as a backdrop. Zaeed and Miranda chose mercs and Jacob chose standard bullseye targets. Zaeed and Miranda put on the prerequisite sensors, because they chose to have the holo-mercs return fire. They linked their units to have a broader playing field and worked together as a team. Samara chose the longbow to try something new. She programmed in Varren for a target. She became very proficient with the longbow very fast, and she switched the Varren out for geth hoppers to raise the difficulty and then added a second arrow. Firing two arrows that actually hit targets at the same time was difficult to all but the best, and she was determined to master the technique. Shepard quickly fell in love with this room. The virtual display was better than reality. The room became such a big hit with everyone that they had to pre-schedule times in advance to use it.

The week it took to get to Palaven was an enjoyable break. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, even Joker. It was also nice to be able to spend time with David. Overall David was enjoying his stay, spending time with Miranda and Jacob, of all people, as well as Samara and Zaeed.

Every other day she hit the med-lab with her husband to have the membrane flushed and refilled and to have the babiy monitored. Special attention was being paid to the development of the baby due to the drastic physiological differences between the parents. They assumed some corrective in-utero procedures may be needed. She had told Mordin she wanted it primarily turian genetically and would work with him to develop a satisfactory gene therapy that would be given to the baby as needed during gestation to ensure as many of the human genetic traits as possible remained dormant. That was the best they could do without it having been bio-engineered from the start. This work could be done during the membrane flushes.

The scans showed she was 7 weeks along. Arms, legs, eyes and head could be easily seen on the embryo.

Her OT chimed and she flipped it on, Jokers face filled the holo screen. The Orizaba has just pulled out of FTL and commed us. Captain Shepard has requested permission to board."

"By all means, give it to her."

"Right away, Commander. I kind of thought you'd say that."

Shepard glanced down at her red work out gear and sighed. She had intended to meet her mother in her Spectre dress blues…but when it came to her mother, it seemed nothing ever worked out quite how she planned it.

Garrus had moved to her side when she got the comm. She looked up at him. "Ready to get his over with big guy?" She heard a harsh swallow, but he appeared outwardly calm and collected. She wondered if she would be so together when she met his parents.

"I'm always ready," Garrus said smugly.

Shepard glanced down at the bulge barely concealed by his workout tunic and turned desire filled eyes on her husband. "I can see you are, lover," her voice sultry and soft.

Garrus groaned and began to fidget uncomfortably. "Not helping, vela. My body is already in the habit of being sated after we spar. Something I was very much looking forward to. And withdrawal is not…pleasant, so stop looking at me like that and for spirit's sake stop scenting and maybe, just maybe, I can get through meeting your mom without thoroughly embarrassing myself."

She put one hand on the side of her husband's sensitive neck and then caressed her way to the back of his neck, her fingers tracing the fine skin between his plates. Her other hand slid up under the hem of his tunic to seek out something much harder. His pants were both tight and thin, allowing her to easily feel every inch of him. His hips bucked into her palm as she stroked him. She tried to bite back the moan, but it slipped out anyway. His chest rumbled and his mandibles began to clack. His heated eyes bored into her for just a moment before he picked her up and carried her out the door.

Their foreplay became more aggressive in the elevator ride to their cabin. She tore her mouth away from his briefly. "EDI have Kelly give my mother a tour of the ship, prolong it. Make sure she doesn't come up to the cabin, I'll be down to greet her shortly."

"Right away, Shepard."

Their clothing all but melted off their heated bodies. She held onto his carapace and pulled herself up until she could wrap her legs around his muscled, trim waist. He carried her to the bed and she clung to him as he crawled to the middle of the bed. His talons slid through her soft curls and he sighed in relief when he felt how wet and ready she was for him. He gasped as he slowly slid into her tight, hot sheath. He gritted his teeth; she was so tight he cried out with pleasure as he felt her quiver and stretch around him. When he was fully embedded he gave her a moment to adjust. He felt her merge them into one, feelings and sensations blending.

Her inner muscles clung to him, not wanting to let him go. "I love you, husband," she said as she moved against him. Her sheath stretched anew and clung tightly to his every movement, intensifying the pleasure they shared. His tongue traced the shell of her ear; his hot breath tickled her as he nuzzled her lobe. She shivered and clutched him tighter.

"Oh spirits," he groaned, she was so damned tight. He loved how her breasts felt sliding against his carapace with each thrust. He felt the caress of her tongue followed by the nip of her teeth against the bond mark she'd given him, his hips bucked in response and he ground against her. His talons fell to her hips to hold her tightly as he rocked into her harder and faster. His tongue found the thundering vein in her neck, tracing its path. He felt her nails bite into his carapace and her legs grip him tighter. Her body tensed and he gritted his teeth against the need to come. "Come for me, vela." He lowered his head to nip the bond mark between his mouthplates. She shivered and her muscles gripped him tighter. He looked down into her face and watched her shatter with the force of her orgasm. He spiraled over the edge, crying out as he emptied himself into her womb, his shaft locking them tight. He fell against her and bit into her shoulder, renewing their bond. Her answering bite rocked his soul.

They clung to each other, riding out the aftershocks. He turned over on his back to relieve the pressure from his prongs. He knew they didn't have the time to keep going, no matter how much he wished otherwise. After a quick shower she pulled on her Spectre dress blues. Garrus put on a dark blue and grey suit. "Looking good there, big guy." She pulled him in for a brief hug, kissed his exposed mandible and removed his visor, setting it down on the night table by the bed. "You won't need that. If there is a battle ahead, it will be with wits not firearms." She looped her arm through his and led him out to face the guillotine, er…her mother.

"EDI where is my mother?"

"She is currently in the mess with Admiral Anderson."

"Thank you."

When the elevator door opened, they rounded the corner and she was finally able to look upon her mother. A woman she had not seen in years. She had barely changed at all, except for a small silver strip at her temple, which stood out like a beacon against her dark brown hair. She also noticed David's hand warmly covering her mother's and wondered if there might be something more going on between the pair.

Hannah Shepard glanced up when a movement caught her eye. Her daughter stood at the other end of the table; a carbon copy of her father, with dark auburn hair and bright emerald green eyes with light blue flecking. The only thing her daughter had similar to her was her high, stubborn chin and small ears. But, damn she was beautiful and Hannah could not imagine ever being more proud of her daughter. She knew she didn't tell her enough, but going through her daughter's death had shattered her, changed her and she was never again going to let her daughter forget how much she was loved. She barely spared a glance at the turian standing next to her daughter. She jumped up from the table, ran to her daughter and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Shepard's mouth fell open in shock. Pod person! Pod person! This woman could not be her mother. She stood stiffly for a moment and then put her arms around her mother.

Hannah pulled back and gave her daughter a light shake. "Don't you ever die on me like that again! Do you see this?" she asked holding up the silver lock of hair. "You did this to me. I have at least 95 more years to live. I'm too damn young to go grey!"

Shepard just blinked. "Uh – sorry for marring your youthful beauty?" Her mom snorted then laughed. She pinned a narrowed gaze on her mother. "Okay, where's my mom?"

She booped the tip of her daughter's nose. "Don't be a goose." Then she paused for a moment, looking at her daughter's shocked expression. "I'm sorry, Arianna, for not being the mother I could have been…should have been. For treating you more like a subordinate than a daughter. When you died…I pretended that it did not affect me, but something inside of me broke. When I discovered you were alive I finally started to breathe again. I allowed myself to grieve and then I allowed myself to heal. And if ever I forgot how much you meant to me, I have remembered now. I will not forget again. I love you, Arianna. She kissed her daughter's lips and pulled her in for another close hug.

"I love you too, mom." Shepard hugged her mother and fought to hold back the tears. She would not break down here in front of everyone. When her mom let her go, she turned and held her hand out to Garrus.

He moved to her side and slipped his left arm around her waist. He knew his wife had to be an emotional wreck right now and he wanted to comfort her and show his support.

"Mom, I want you to meet my husband, Garrus Vakarian. Garrus, this is my mother, Hannah Shepard. She watched as they shook hands – she had to give her mom kudos for not flinching, she knew by experience just how firm Garrus' handshake was.

Garrus gave a slight bow of respect. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Captain Shepard."

"Likewise, Garrus. Please…you are my son not my crew, call me Hannah." She smiled when he nodded. Hannah looked over her new son; she wasn't really sure what her daughter saw in him. She knew well from experience that he wasn't physically her type. But she only knew what she'd read about him in his dossier, there was nothing in about who he was as a person. While that was impressive, there had to be more to it. She'd learned a lot about Arianna and Garrus and why they were with Cerberus by talking with David. It took a lot to cajole it out of him, but in the end he hadn't thought Arianna would mind. It was off-putting to realize just how little she knew about her daughter's personal life. She was glad Arianna had David to confide in. She had to make damn sure her daughter knew she was going to be there for her too. She folded her arms over her chest. "If would have been nice if you had greeted me when I arrived. I would have loved for _you_ to have shown me your ship."

Shepard glanced at Garrus and smiled when she saw him rub the back of his neck. Priceless, he was embarrassed. She looked at her mom and bit the inside of her cheek, determined not to laugh. She took a calming breath and focused on keeping a straight face. "Mom, your arrival was rather…sudden. Had I more notice, we would have been there to greet you. As it was, I was having hot, spicy sex with my husband. The man has an amazing tongue, he really knows how to - "

"Ari!" Garrus yelped and put a hand over her mouth.

The looks an all three of their faces was just too much for her and the laughter bubbled out. She knew she must have been scenting, because Garrus' grip at her waist tightened substantially. But just thinking about making love to him…that amazing tongue, what was a girl to do? When he began to purr lightly, she knew she had to tone it down.

All three throats cleared simultaneously and she bit her cheek again…hard. She knew she was close to an uncontrollable laughing fit and having him distract her right now with a steamy kiss would probably end with him carting her off to the cabin for another spicy romp and that wasn't the first impression she wanted her mom to have of him.

They joined the older two at the table. It was good to just sit down as a family and talk. She hadn't realized just how much she missed it. She put her hand on her husband's thigh, under the table, and squeezed it. The squeeze was more for her benefit than his, because her hand really wanted to be naughty. It wanted slide slowly up his thigh to stroke the hardness she knew she'd find there. But were she to do that, she knew his mandibles would start clacking and it didn't take a genius to figure out that would not be something he'd want to happen in front of her parents. So, she had to reign in her inner devil and that just sucked. "Why is your ship pulling out?"

"I'm sending it back to the Citadel to resupply and give the crew some shore leave while I'm on Palaven. I was hoping it would be acceptable to ride back with you."

"Of course, mom. It will be good to spend time with you. I'll move some of our things into Life Support and you can take our room."

"No," David said quickly. "I'll move into Life Support and she can have my room, the XO's cabin. It's large and the bed is very comfortable."

"Enough, you two. I'll be more than fine in Life Support. I've already seen it. Just give me a cot and a terminal and I'll be right at home. And I won't hear another word about it," she cautioned sternly.

"Okay," Shepard said raising her hands in submission. "I know better than to argue with that voice."

"EDI - "

"Already on it, Shepard."

"Thank you, EDI. Mom, David – lets grab some food and head to the cabin, we need to talk and all surveillance has been removed from our room."

Back at the cabin Shepard poured them all drinks. She and Garrus sat on one sofa, David and her mother on the another. After they'd eaten a good bit Shepard leaned forward. "You're going to be a grandmother." Her mother just sat for a moment and then she smiled.

'Are you adopting a human baby or a turian, or some other race?"

"While I'm sure we'd adopt a child if they needed it, we don't have to. I'm pregnant."

Hannah frowned. "In vitro?"

"No," Shepard smiled. "Natural."

Hannah's mouth dropped open and she swung her gaze to Garrus. "And you were okay with that?"

Garrus chuckled. "More than okay, the baby's mine."

Hannah shook her head and then looked at David, who also shook his head. "How is that even possible?"

Shepard then explained to them about her experiment, what she and her father had done to try to contain it, how Garrus had become infected with the virus and what the infection had done to him. She waited calmly for them to assimilate everything she'd just told them.

"I can't believe your father never told me. You were my daughter; I had the right to know!" Hannah was not just mad, she was furious. David put a consoling hand over hers.

"He probably did it to protect you, to give you plausible deniability," David told her somberly.

"She's my daughter, David. That was huge. I should have been told." Tears slipped from her eyes and David gathered her in his arms.

Shepard hung her head and Garrus pulled her back against him. "Dad thought it best you not know," she said hoarsely. "He feared you were a little too _Alliance_, that you might tell someone, even if only to try to seek help for me. The Alliance can never know what I've just told you two. I would become a lab rat to them. They would try to use me to create super soldiers and nothing good will ever come of that." She clung to her husband tighter. Frightened by what she'd just admitted to higher ranking Alliance officers.

"She is entrusting you both with her life. What she has just told you must go to the grave with you. No one must ever find out. Only five people including you know her secret. And I will tell you right now that I would kill _anyone_, without a blink, if they hurt my wife. Just so we're perfectly clear on that." Garrus shot them each a hard look to emphasize that he was including them.

"Garrus - "

"I mean it, Ari. I won't budge on this, don't even ask me to."

"You don't have to worry about us, son. I would lay down my life for Arianna and I know her mother would too, without a second thought."

"Without a first thought," Hannah corrected before a frown marred her face. "I had to admit I was concerned when I discovered you were aboard a Cerberus ship. David explained things to me…in the lab. He said that was the only other place besides your cabin that was definitely surveillance free. I'm glad you're not with Cerberus, but I can't help but worry about this spy business."

"I am relieved you chose the lab instead of the cabin…that would have been rather…awkward."

"You don't say. I want to have a bigger part in your life, but there are some things a mother doesn't need to know." She paused. "Turians, eh? Now you've got me curious. I might just have to…"

"Hannah!" David cut in, none too pleased with her.

"You won't be sorry, Hannah."

"Garrus!" David admonished. "You're not helping."

"What did you expect me to say, David. I'm turian," he said smugly.

"Mom, there's something else I need to talk to you about." She glanced at David and then back to her mother. "I had some bloodwork done because of the pregnancy. It revealed a rather strange…anomaly. I have 23 autosomes." Her mother just looked at her blankly. "I'm supposed to have 22." Her mother and David looked at each other and shrugged.

"I don't know what you are trying to tell me," Hannah admitted.

"What I'm to tell you is that I'm not human. Never have been. Is there something you need to tell me?" Her eyes bored into her mother, wishing she could read her mind.

David's mouth fell open. Hannah just blinked. "That can't be true. It's not possible. I – oh, god. No. It was just a dream. It wasn't real."

Shepard sighed. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear. "What wasn't real?"

"Your dad and I had been trying to have a baby for a long time. One night I had a strange dream. A woman came to me, said she was dying and asked me birth her baby and be its mother. Of course, I agreed. I wanted a baby so much. She laid her hand on my lower belly, I remember feeling the heat of her touch, seeing the tears fall down her cheeks and then she disappeared as quickly as she had arrived. But, it was a dream, Arianna. Only a dream!" Hannah let out a sob and David pulled her against him.

"And did you discover you were pregnant after that?" She felt her husband's comforting grip on her thigh.

"Y – yes. Just a dream…only a dream. Wasn't it? It had to be! You look just like your father and you have my chin…my ears! I carried you…I gave birth to you. You are my daughter, not hers! It was just a dream."

Shepard knew she had been born early. Her mother had delivered her 3 months early. The doctors had decided not to try to stop the delivery because scans showed she was fully developed. Once they realized how smart she was it became an ongoing joke between her parents. As advanced in life as she had been in the womb. Even so, it just wasn't possible to become pregnant from a dream. She took her mom's cold hand into hers. "It's okay, mom. Maybe there was a mistake in the lab; something must have skewed the test. It's not possible to get pregnant from a dream." Nor was it possible for a full term baby to be delivered at six months…at least not a human baby.

She didn't doubt Mordin's results. He was too professional and too knowledgeable to make that kind of mistake, but her mother didn't need to know that. The facts just weren't lining up. The dream pregnancy correlated to her early birth if the woman had been three to four months along. But that just wasn't feasible. She looked like her parents too much to have different biological parents. None of this made sense.

Hannah sat up straighter. "There. See? I'm sure that's what happened. Because anything else is unthinkable."

Shepard smiled at her mom and patted her hand, before releasing it. "I only asked because I wanted to find out if you might have adopted me. I've seen pictures of you pregnant, but when I received the results of the test, I had to wonder if you might have miscarried and adopted me to replace what you lost. I did not mean to hurt you, but now that I'm pregnant, I wanted to know as much genetically about myself as possible, since it would affect my baby."

"I understand your fears, Arianna. All new mothers have them. And if I had received those results when I was pregnant with you, I'd have asked my parents what the hell was going on too." Hannah gave a shaky laugh. "Labs…always screwing things up. Maybe next time you can run the tests."

"Maybe I will. Oh, not to change this most fascinating topic, but I have someone who would tear me a new one if I didn't let him see you." She touched her wrist and release Grim.

"About time, Ari. Hannah! It's good to see you again. It's been years."

"Good to see you too, Grim. You don't look a day older…now that I think about it, neither does Arianna."

"Yeah, that's a side effect from the virus."

"That's a side effect most people would kill for."

"Or die trying to get," Garrus said cryptically.

"It's good to know she has both you and Garrus around to protect her."

"She does…when she lets us." Grim snarked.

"Arianna…"

Shepard sighed. Her mother was using _that_ voice again. "I can protect myself you know. I've got my OTs amped to the point that they are highly illegal in Council space…I've got my toys and I can shoot the wings off a bee…though I would never do that."

"No one is infallible…not even you, vela. We already discussed…"

"I know we did, big guy. I was just trying to make a point. Garrus and I have already _discussed_ this topic. Since I'm no longer flying Alliance colors I've agreed to allow more than two squad members for missions that don't require stealth."

"You mean you had a fight. I know how stubborn you can be, Arianna. It is good to know you can be just as stubborn, Garrus. She can be very driven; she needs somebody who can balance her out."

"We balance each other, Hanah. I've learned so much from her. I'm a far better man than I used to be. She grounds me and I check her. It works for us."

"I can see why she loves you. I'm glad you found each other."

EDI had informed her that both Wrex and Liara were heading to Palaven. She had to admit she was a bit concerned about Wrex. She had to hope he would behave himself. That he was part of the _hero_ team that took down Seran, went a long way in his favor, but she was pretty sure she'd need to use her Spectre status to keep him out of too much trouble. Hopefully, it would not make things worse between her and Garrus' father.

Hannah stood up. "There are a few things I need to do before we hit Palaven. So if you'll excuse me." She hugged both her kids. "Are you coming, David? Or did you wish to stay?"

"I'm right behind you, Hannah. There are a few things I need to do too."

Shepard shook her head and smiled as the couple left.

Garrus took his wife's hand. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing that makes any sense," she admitted.

"Do you think Mordin's test was bad?"

"No. He wouldn't make that kind of mistake. He's as anal about his work as I am."

"So you think this dream woman was your biological mother?"

"I don't know what to think, Garrus. None of this makes sense. What irks me the most is there's no way for me to find out. I can't research a dream. I guess it doesn't really matter who my biological parents are. My parent are my parents and nothing will change that. She picked up the empty tray. "I'm taking this down to the mess. Are you coming, Garrus? Or did you wish to stay?"

Garrus chuckled. "I'm right behind you, vela."

"You can go play, Grim - just stay out of trouble."

"I always do, Ari. Catch you later." He zipped around them and out of sight.

They ran into Kasumi and Jacob at the mess, who were eating a late lunch. The couple was sitting close and whispering to each other. Whatever he told her must have been amusing because Kasumi giggled. Actually, giggled.

"ETA to Palaven 67 standard minutes. Sure you're up for this, Commander? I can turn her around if you have cold feet," Joker said over the ship-wide comm.

"Thanks Joker…I feel the love."

"Hey…Just doing my job. Not every day you get to join into a family whose patriarch is sworn to hate all Spectres. Wouldn't want to be in your shoes. Just saying, Commander."

"We'll see who has the last laugh, Joker. You'll be disembarking with us if I have to haul you out kicking and screaming by your beard. You'll be there to see every bit of the _fun_."

"I can't leave my baby; I'm all she's got."

"Your baby has EDI, who will take the best of care of her," Shepard pointed out.

"Of course I will. You have nothing to worry about, Jeff," EDI assured him.

"You're no fun, Commander," Joker said solemnly.

"Hey! She's a lot of fun." Kasumi said in her defense.

Garrus smiled at Kasumi. "That she is. Any more fun and she'd kill me."

"I heard that!" Joker snickered.

"I need to get ready," Shepard said and made her goodbyes... Garrus was quick to catch up with her. By the time she'd made it to the cabin she was fraught with nerves. She began pacing, nearly jumping out of her skin in panic. She was not usually one to give into panic…but this was big. Real big.

Garrus looked at her questioningly. "I've never seen you like this."

"Probably pregnancy hormones…" She paced some more in agitation.

Garrus smiled. "I think you need to blow off some steam." He pulled off his clothes and began to stalk his wife.

Garrus worked his way down her body nipping and flicking his tongue. Her ragged breath and soft cries drove him on. He put a pillow under her hips and took a tight grip on her thighs. He was not going to let her get away… and he knew she would try. He felt her connect them and knew he was in for an uphill climb.

His tongue slid through her damp folds and attacked her hidden nub. He flicked it mercilessly, and then dove into her to attack her other pleasure center. She keened as she came close to release and he stopped. When her body relaxed Garrus began to work her up again. When her body coiled tight he stopped.

Her eyes popped open. "This is payback, isn't it Garrus?"

Garrus chuckled. The rumble started soft and began intensify. "Yes, perhaps. But it is a payback that is biting me in the ass as well since you have kept us connected. Every time I get you close to coming so am I. But, I think you need this, vela. Perhaps in the end you will thank me. I just have to be able to last through my own torture."

The vibrations of his purr traveled through her and she shivered. He worked her close and stopped so many times she was fit to scream, her body shaking uncontrollably. Garrus was shaking just as hard, if not harder. His mandibles were clacking fast and furious. Being unable to take any more he pulled her to him and entered her from behind. Garrus worked her swollen nub as he licked and nibbled her neck and shoulders. He was so swollen, so heavy he gasped and growled with slightest movement against him…and he was moving her hard and fast. He relished in her cries of pleasure and knew this was going to be a time neither of them would ever forget. He felt her body stiffen and he nearly cried out with relief. Waiting for her to come first had become painful.

She screamed as the most powerful orgasm she'd ever had arched through her body. Her internal muscles grabbed him as tight as any fist could. His bellows joined her screams as he exploded within her. His shaft locked tight, but he continued to erupt as wave after wave of the orgasm swept over him. His head fell to her shoulder and he bit into her. She cradled his head, encouraging him to take more. She felt him shiver against her.

They tumbled bonelessly onto the bed when they were released. She was too relaxed, too tired to even remotely care what Garrus' father would think of her. Damn his hide…that was the best orgasm she'd ever had. "You were right, Garrus. That was needed more than I knew. That was the most insane orgasm I've ever had…and if I was any more relaxed I'd be in a puddle "Thank you for making this perfect."

He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. "I love you, vela. If we ever manage to top that…I think it'd kill me," Garrus said weakly.

Oh, my love, you could melt a girl's heart with your romantic pillow talk.

When they rolled out of bed this time, she was calm, cool and collected again. She hit the bidet to refresh herself and they stepped into the shower for a quick wash down. Sex didn't even enter their minds…as they soaped each other up. Well, that wasn't exactly true…sex entered their minds, they were just too sated to act on it…and perhaps a lack of time played a small part in that decision. A quick dry later and she was storming through her closet.

She poured herself into blue leather pants and snapped up the matching blue with white trim leather vest. It had a plunging neckline and was cut up to reveal her sapphire bejeweled navel. She wore silver and sapphire dangle earrings and a simple silver chain looped through itself with a sapphire dangling like a pendulum over her cleavage. She slung a matching mag-belt low on her hips. She twisted back and forth in front of the mirror trying to see if anything could be improved.

"You look ravishing," Garrus said pulling her into his arms. "I'm glad you chose to wear our clan colors. It will mean a lot to the family." Garrus was wearing a blue dress suit with silver trim under his armor.

Shepard stepped into her own metallic blue-purple armor. She snapped on her viper, mattock, and phalanx.

"Standing by for docking protocol. Shuttles are ready and awaiting our arrival," Joker alerted them.

"As soon as we are docked, I expect you suited up and at the airlock."

"Yes, Commander."

Shepard could all but see the faces Joker was making at her right now.

"Shepard, Wrex and Liara have arrived and are awaiting docking as well," EDI informed her.

"Thank you EDI."

She turned to Garrus. "Are you ready for this?"

He put a hand to either side of her face. "I want to apologize now for my father. If he's disrespectful to you I will drop him on his ass and we will never return."

"You don't have to do that Garrus. Your dad does not have to like me. I'm a big girl," she assured him.

"You are my lifemate. My wife. The love of my life. He doesn't have to like you. But does need to be civil and respectful. Anything else is unforgivable," Garrus said, pulling her in for a kiss.

"You worry too much, Garrus. It will all work out," she said, giving him a hug.

"It had better." He paused a moment. "Try to keep in mind; I'm far from the only one that will knock him on his ass if he behaves badly."

"Who else would bother?"

"Ohhh…your mother, David, Kasumi, Wrex, Liara, Tali, Ken, Jacob, and probably just about any of the others. I even think Legion would. If an AI could fall in love…well, I'm not all too sure that it isn't in love with you. In any event you are bringing a veritable army of friends and family that love you. My father better be on his best behavior or he won't know what hit him."

They made their way down to the airlock. She looked around at her friends. "Those of you without full helmets take your happy asses to the armory and trade them out for full helmets. The radiation here is too strong for anything less." She watched half her friends backtrack towards the armory. "The rest of you start moving out. We will surely need to go through a security checkpoint before we can board the shuttles. I'm a Spectre, you're with me. Remind them of that if they balk at your side arms. I've already left instructions for your clearance, there shouldn't be a problem. Legion you have special clearance." She repeated her instructions for the rest of her friends as they returned from the armory.

She smiled at her mother and David when she saw that they elected to stay behind. They froze and just stared at her. She walked up to them, slipped one arm through her mother's and her other arm through Garrus' and they walked into the airlock.

A trio of turians stepped up to greet her as she stepped out of the airlock. They introduced themselves and offered their hands as per human custom. This shocked and intrigued her. If this had been an old earth movie, she was sure they would have rolled out the red carpet. They told her that she was a VIP, a dignitary and ambassador for the human race, a Spectre for the Council; she was to be awarded top preferential treatment. Including a ride on the palatial shuttle to the Vakarian manor house. Perhaps it was just a way to keep an eye on her, but she appreciated the gesture anyway.

She heard Wrex's booming voice and looked over to see him and Liara heading their way. Several turians following in his wake trying to get him to stop and submit to scanning. It was hilarious but also dangerous. She apologized and moved out to confront Wrex.

"Shepard! My good friend! I thought you were dead. Seems even the void can't hold you!" He pumped her hand enthusiastically, nearly ripping her arm from its socket.

Garrus stepped up to draw Wrex's attention from his abused wife. "Wrex! Good to see you again."

"Garrus! You scamp…you finally did it. We wondered when you'd get your quad together and-"

"Wrex, I'd like you to meet my mother. Wrex, this is Captain Hannah Shepard, mom this is a very dear friend, Urdnot Wrex.

Wrex shook her hand and eyeballed her. "So these are the loins that birthed the mighty Shepard. She is a master warrior. I wouldn't want her for an enemy." He barked out a deep laugh. And turned to Garrus. "You did good, pup! Though, I think Shepard's too much woman for you to handle alone."

"Hey, now wait a minute!" Garrus complained.

"Just like old times, eh Wrex?" Shepard cut in. He was always giving Garrus a hard time, trying to push his buttons.

Wrex barked out another laugh. "Don't you know it. Now point out the turians I can eat. Or don't. That could be more fun."

Shepard shook her head. "Not a one Wrex. I told them you'd be on your best behavior…"

"Why'd you go and say a thing like that?" Wrex grumbled.

"That's the only reason they allowed me to invite you. While you are here you are a dignitary and ambassador of your people. As such you will be given the respect of that rank. _And_ they are holding me personally responsible for you."

"Can't believe I'm standing on the homeworld of one of the most hated enemies of my people and I can't kill anyone. You sure know how to kick a man in the quad, Shepard," Wrex growled.

Shepard gave him a dazzling smile. "Thank you, Wrex," she said pulling him in for a hug. "I've missed you like mad," she admitted giving his jutting lower lip a kiss. He swung her around like old times and congratulated them on their new family.

She walked up to Liara and gave her a big hug and peck on the lips. She promised they would get together as soon as possible. Shepard asked Liara and Samara who wanted to be the ambassador for the asari during their stay. Since neither wanted the title the role fell to Samara, as a matriarch and justicar she was already a representative of her people.

Tali was the ambassador for the quarians, Mordin the ambassador for the salarians and Legion was the ambassador for the geth.

Shepard took Garrus' arm and followed the turians into the shuttle. Her mother, David, Mordin, Wrex, Legion, Samara and Tali followed.

The shuttle was massive and beautiful but very utilitarian. It rode like a dream. Joker was missing out. As they left the hangar bay Garrus began pointing out buildings and locations to them. The buildings had a metallic sheen that sparkled in the late afternoon sun. It looked like a city of silver...or mirrors. It was breathtaking. She could make out the fortification walls that surrounded the port city and the soldiers that looked like ants patrolling them. Garrus pointed out the waterways that wound their way through the cities. She could see little people like water bugs wading through the steaming water. It must have felt like a hot bath. The higher elevations had cooler rivers, but the radiation would prevent outsiders from enjoying it. Their shuttle followed one of the waterways into another city. Garrus was excitedly pointing out museums, a zoo, his favorite restaurants and various other places he'd like to take them to if they found the time.

The Vakarian manor house sat on a slight rise overlooking much of the city below. It wasn't huge, but after living so long in the confines of a spaceship it looked massive. He explained how the house had been in his family for generations, always passing down to the eldest son. He didn't have to tell her that it would have been his home.

"I'm sorry, Garrus. It seems I've complicated your life far more than I knew," she said sadly.

Garrus turned to her in surprise. "What? Why the hell would you say such a thing? You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, wife."

"The house…it was to have gone to you. I wouldn't survive well here and our children might not be able to survive it at all. If you stay with me you would lose that. I'm sorry."

"If I stay…Spirits, vela! I would never walk away from you. And I'm not sorry in the slightest. I don't want to be here. If I'd wanted to be here I'd have stayed in the turian military. But I chose to leave as soon as I could. I told you, I'm not a very good turian. Palaven is where I grew up. I will always have memories of it. But it is not my home. My home is with you and where ever we end up. I have uncles and cousins who would gladly take the house. Don't ever think I had to give anything up to be with you. There is nothing I want_ but_ you." Garrus sucked in his breath at her smile and then pulled her in for a searing kiss.

The other turians grunted and turned away. Public displays of affection were just not done. And what they were doing with their mouths? Could nobody leave Palaven and come back sane?

Their shuttle may have been the last to take off, but as dignitaries they were the first to land. "This is it," she told them. "Helmets on. Check your seals." She and Garrus were the first off the shuttle. His parents, sister, staff and guards were waiting for them.

Despite the excitement in his mom's and sister's eyes, introductions were made, handshakes and nods given. Everything cool and regimental. When the last of the dignitaries were greeted, his family bade them to follow and returned to their home. Mrs. Vakarian moved in an odd, stiff gate, her husband's arm around her. The staff and guards would greet the rest of the guests and show them to their quarters.

Once inside, Solana showed the rest of the dignitaries to their quarters, his parents led David to Garrus' room. Garrus pointed out his terminal and other items David could use during his stay. Mrs Vakarian told him a member of the staff would come get him shortly for dinner. Her mom was led to Solana's room. She then led her son to the master bedroom and bid them to enter.

Shepard sent a shocked look to Garrus who squeezed her hand reassuringly and nodded. She thanked his parents. Mrs. Vakarian nodded and told them she or Solana would come and get them when dinner was ready.

When the door closed behind his parents Shepard said, "I hadn't expected this to be a turian custom as well. I feel kind of guilty stealing their bedroom," she admitted. "Hope your father doesn't add that to his list of reasons to hate me."

"I imagine he will be surprised to learn humans share some turian customs. Of course, I never thought I'd be sleeping in my parents' room. You are a high ranking official. You will be treated as such…provided my father minds himself. You will probably also be treated to the best seat at the table and the choicest cuts of meat."

"Well, considering those things usually go to your father, that makes everything so much better. Where can I put my armor?" she asked looking around the pristine and sparce room. He walked over to a wall and slapped a button. A closet door slid open, it was empty. "Oh stars…I stole their closet too?"

Garrus chuckled. "No, this one is always left empty…never know when an important guest will stop by."

They both removed their armor. She opened up her arms and he walked into them. After a moment she asked, "It looked like your mom and sister wanted to talk to me…but they didn't."

"Yeah…since it's so close to dinner, protocol demands that they get to know you afterwards. Look, I'll be right back…I want to have a brief word with my parents." He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and headed for the door.

"Garrus…"

"Yes?"

"I know turians are more…"

"They have a stick up their ass?"

"Well…I wasn't going to say that…but do you want me to stop showing you affection unless we are alone? I don't want to make you embarrassed or your parents uncomfortable."

Garrus' mouth fell open and his mandibles dropped. Quick strides took him back to his wife. He tilted her chin up and peered down into her eyes. "Do not ever stop showing me affection…I don't care who is watching. If they don't want to see it, they don't have to look. But I am damn sure going to kiss you whenever the hell I want to. I am in love. You're my lifemate. If they don't like it they can go to hell."

She gave him a loud smack on the lips, spun him around and gave him a smack on the ass…"Get out of here you goof…see you soon."

When he was gone she began to worry again.

The chime of a comm interrupted her thoughts. 'It is I, Solana, can I come in?"

"Of course you can," Shepard said.

Solana came forward with her hand out and an eager smile. Shepard smiled back. This was one Vakarian she would have no problem liking. Solana stopped, hand out and just stared.

Shepard stepped forward and shook Solana's outstretched hand. The moment she made contact she froze. A strange feeling washed through her. An odd pull. This girl was special in some way…She needed to know why. "Solana, I feel a connection with you. I think we are going to be great friends. You are going to be a large part of my future. I can feel it. I just don't know how yet."

Solana was enthralled. This powerful warrior woman…this legend wanted to be friends with her. Said they were connected. It was beyond anything she could have imagined happening. She'd come because she had to meet her. She couldn't wait until after dinner. The way she talked, the way she moved…it was so vivid…so sensual…so addictive. Yes, that was the word. Shepard was addictive.

"Pardon my manners." She turned to the young man beside her. "This is Rojik, he's the son of one of my father's friends. " She gave the turian a fond look. "He was eager to meet you too."

Shepard shook the nervous young man's hand. It was awkwardly endearing to see him fidgeting and flustered. He reminded her a lot of Garrus when they first met. They made a sweet couple. She got a warm vibe from them; in fact, the two of them together reminded her a lot of her and Garrus. She placed a hand against each of their cheek plates and closed her eyes. She felt a gentle peace and love. Best friends and more. She focused on their auras. Are they meant for each other? Their auras flashed lightly. She smiled. She couldn't wait to come back and visit them on Palaven. Their auras turned black. She frowned. That meant death. Do they need to leave Palaven? Their auras flashed. Well, crap on toast. "You are perfect for each other." The turians clasped hands as the power thrummed through them. She opened her eyes, dropped her hands and backed away.

The turians looked at each other, then at Shepard. "What just happened?" Solana asked.

Shepard looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Solana's mouth dropped open and slammed shut. "We felt...we felt...a strange hum flow into us."

Shepard saw Rojik's nod. Shepard chewed on her lower lip in confusion. "I'm sorry...I don't know. Was it...bad?"

Solana flushed. She was very glad her plating covered it. "No...not at all. It was very...nice. You told us we were perfect for each other."

Shepard cocked her head. "I don't know why I said that, but it must be so. Sometimes...I feel things. I need you to do something for me. I need you to kiss."

The turians looked at each other and then at her. "What is kiss?" Rojik asked curiously.

Garrus walked through the door in time to hear Rojik. His unbandaged mandible flared in a lopsided smile. He wrapped his arms around Arianna. "Something I'm very glad my wife introduced me to."

Right. She had forgotten turians don't kiss and this pair was young enough that they had probably never left Palaven. "_A_ kiss," she corrected. "I'll show you what I mean." She spun around in her husband's arms and looked up at him. "Don't move, let me lead." She whispered to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and turned them sideways so the couple could see them clearly. She ran her tongue along his upper mouthplate. She dipped it into his mouth, touched the tip of his tongue and withdrew. She slipped her tongue in again, flicking it against his, encouraging him to meet her half way. Their tongues met in a sensual dance until Garrus could take it no more. He took control and kissed her breathless. When they remembered themselves, they flushed and backed away. Garrus grabbed her hips and positioned her in front of him for modesty's sake.

Rojik was moving awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot. Perhaps their kiss had been a bit hotter than intended. She could not keep the smile from her face. Rojik froze in mid-shuffle. She walked up to the couple. She noticed their far hands were still clasped. She took their free hands and placed them together. She sandwiched their hands between hers. "Kiss. Please trust me in this. You will not regret it."

She backed off as she saw the couple move closer to each other. Solana took the lead and mirrored every move she had seen Shepard make. Garrus took her hand and pulled her into his embrace. His hand went to her face and he tilted it up to claim her lips. When he pulled back, he noticed her somber look. "What is the matter, vela?"

"I saw something in their auras. Their auras told me they were meant for each other, but they also told me they would both die if they stayed on Palaven. They need to leave with us."

Garrus frowned and then started laughing his ass off. "Spirits this is so damned funny! Dad's going to shit and try to kill us all." Then he started laughing even harder. "You realize he had a husband all picked out for you already…the son of a friend of his…Umm, not that son. He hadn't told you yet. He thought you might try to run if you knew. Now you're going to marry the son of a different friend… and leave Palaven anyway…it's positively rich…I can't wait to see his face."

"Perhaps we should wait to tell your dad…maybe until after the wedding," Shepard suggested.

Garrus laughed harder. "I don't think that's an option anymore. They won't be able to hide their feelings or _the heat_," he said pointing to the pair in question, who were in the middle of a very deep, very thorough kiss.

"I'm guessing we will be having two weddings now." She paused a moment. Happy that the couple had found each other. "You know I can't really be blamed for this. They would probably have found out eventually. The pull is undeniable…well, except to you Garrus…I seem to recall you did a damn good job denying it."

"Not fair, Shepard. You were my Commander. I spent too many years in the turian military," Garrus reminded her.

"I was captain of the ship, Garrus. But you were not an Alliance soldier. I was never your Commander," she pointed out.

"Damn. Wish I'd have thought of that sooner."

"Garrus!" Shepard interrupted. "I think we need to break the party up before they give us a show they will be embarrassed about later." Shepard nodded towards the young couple. Rojik's tunic was unsnapped and Solana was busy exploring his carapace while they kissed.

"Garrus, please collect Rojik. I will deal with Solana."

Garrus grabbed Rojik's arm and dragged him from the room. His eyes didn't leave Solana until the door closed.

"I need to go to her, Garrus."

"I know, Rojik. I know exactly what you're feeling and what you're going through. If we were anywhere else, I... But, my father is your host. He must be told before you bond. Anything else is rude."

Shepard commed Garrus. "Garrus, do you think it would be too rude to speak to your parents now? I'm not so sure waiting until after dinner is a good idea. Not sure they are going to make it through dinner."

"Spirits. You're right. I'll find out where they are and then I'll come get you."

A few minutes later, he strode through the door, Rojik held tight in his grip. "Let's get this done." His unbandaged mandible flared. He couldn't wait to see his father's reaction.

Shepard walked up to Garrus and tore his bandage off. His talons went to his cheek. "I've been meaning to do that for some time. Your face isn't going to fall apart or slide off. You're healed, Garrus. You have been for awhile. You heal fast now. The scars too will fade in time…unless you let me take them away." He glared at her and she held up her hands.

"Take your sister, I'll hang onto Rojik."

Garrus towed his sister; Shepard laced her arm through Rojik's and took up the rear.

"I'm so happy for you, Rojik," she said flashing him big smile.

Rojik swallowed hard. Not even having a lifemate spared him from the effects of Shepard's smile. But it made a weird kind of sense since even Garrus wasn't spared.

He shook his head. He was a little nervous about the meeting to come…but nothing was going to keep him from his lifemate. He had to be near her…had to protect her…the need to claim her was clawing at him…he was hard, aching and his ability to think straight long gone.

Solana tugged at her arm. What right did her brother have to keep her away from her lifemate? He had his. He knew what she was going through. Did he really have to drag her in front of mom and dad like some naughty child?

When they reached the sitting room, Shepard closed her eyes and forced her sight. She needed to get a read on the situation. His dad's aura was blue with strokes of orange and red. Practical, calm, but aggressive. His mom was…she stopped cold...dying. Her head was completely black and the black was bleeding down into her lavender aura. She quickly released the sight. Garrus pulled up in front of his dad and drew his sister protectively behind his back, while still keeping a firm hold on her. She stepped protectively in front of Rojik.

"What the hell is all of this about, son?" his father demanded. "You know protocol and this is not it."

"This is too important for protocol, dad."

"Nothing is too important for protocol. And why is your sister behind your back?" he asked coldly.

"I'm protecting her from you."

"That's ridiculous," his father said losing patience.

"Rip the band-aid," Garrus said under his breath.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means, get it over with quick rather than drawing it out. I know you had future plans for Solana, but you need to cancel them. Solana has found her lifemate."

The silence that greeted him was deafening.

"Just because you have found your lifemate, doesn't mean your sister has."

"It is because I have found my lifemate that she has found hers. At least, found him this soon."

"Who is he?" his mother asked. She caught sight of Rojik and then began fanning herself. "Oh dear. Not again."

"I suggest you get someone here to marry her and Rojik right away if you want anything official. I don't think a damn thing will keep them from bonding tonight…we will be lucky to get through dinner without a scene," Shepard warned. "When they are wed, they will return with us. They cannot stay here. If they do they will die."

Garrus' father stood up. "I think you have gone far enough-" His mouth dropped open when he saw Rojik being held back by Shepard. "You've got to be kidding me. Rojik, Solana? This can't be happening. First Garrus, now you. What the hell is wrong with this family? You!" he said pointing at Shepard. "You have brought this all down upon us. You have _ruined_ this family!"

Rojik's brain snapped back into his head. "Do not talk to her that way, sir." Rojik pulled Shepard behind him and stood tall facing off with his new father to be. Garrus and Solana also moved in front of Shepard.

"I think we've heard enough from you, father," Solana said.

"You will apologize to my wife, dad."

"She-"

"Now." Rojik said coldly.

Shepard moved them all aside and made her way up to her new father. "You obviously don't think much of me, but that is why I came. I intend to change that. No one has control over who the fates have chosen for them; nothing is more precious or more treasured than a lifemate." She gave him a big smile, took his hand and stripped the glove from it. She placed his talons over her bare belly and rested her hand upon his. She sent soothing and calming thoughts to him through her touch. "But this is pretty damned close. This is our future. Your grandchild is resting below your palm. Things may not have worked out the way you'd hoped for your son or for your daughter, but isn't this child worth getting to know? Can you not accept this baby into your heart and love it as only a grandparent could?"

Shepard needed him to feel the baby as she did. She needed him to be invested, connected. She pushed out and merged their auras. After the slight disorientation she felt his anger and bitterness, but she also felt his sadness, his loss of control, his love for his family…a love he rarely allowed himself to show.

"Touch me. Touch my skin," she told everyone in the room. Rojik was the closest to Garrus' mom, so he helped her up and led her over to Shepard. He placed her talons next to her husband's. When she felt their hands she forced the merge of all of their auras. The massive amounts of emotion nearly took her to the ground. She locked her knees until she could pull them into some semblance of order; she made another push and merged with her baby. It didn't have feelings yet, but it had presence. A strong presence. She lay everything bare for everyone. The love and desire she and Garrus shared, the overwhelming need of two newly discovered lifemates, the quiet fortitude of a woman forced into her husband's shadow, the love of a father who couldn't show it, the presence and life-force of a precious new soul awakening to the feelings surrounding it. Finally, she shared herself, she let go of the love and strength and conviction that she held for everything. She raised her head and closed her eyes. Her arms held low and away from her. Then, her head fell forward and she collapse slowly, all but floating to the floor.

Rojik and Solana came to their senses faster, _the heat_ in their blood burning out the emotional daze. Rojik reached out and pulled Shepard into his arms as she fell. He cradled her to him, tears falling down his faceplates. She had shared something more intimate, more powerful, more sensual, then anything he'd ever experienced. Solana came to his side and brushed the hair back from Shepard's face. She brought her forehead to Shepard's in love. Shepard eyes flickered open. She wrapped her arms around them, holding these two amazing people close to her heart. She sent soothing thoughts and love to them through her touch. With their minds momentarily cleared… their hearts pure, they loved her back.

Rojik raised Shepard to her feet and released her. He and Solana watched her walk into her husband's arms. They put their arms around each other and just held each other quietly. Solana noticed her parents were doing the same. The emotions had just been too intense to not hold someone you care about.

After a few minutes Mr. Vakarian stood up, he flipped on his omni-tool, talked privately for a moment, then disconnected. He walked over to the young couple. He held his hand out to Rojik, who shook it reverently. The young turian had shown backbone in standing up to him in Shepard's defense. He knew he would protect his daughter…a lifemate… even more aggressively. "You will be married after dinner. I will have a special contract license brought to the manor. After that, the evening is yours. Welcome to the family, son."

Vakarian turned to face his son and the rest of his new family. He caught Shepard's blinding smile and it nearly took him to his knees. He wondered briefly if anyone could survive this woman. He wasn't sure just what he felt as he made his way over to the pair. She had given him so much…shown him so much that he was humbled and in awe. Normally, neither of those would sit very well with him. But he wasn't feeling very normal right now. His step and heart were lighter than they'd ever been and he wondered if she hadn't changed him on some fundamental level.

He stopped in front of the human and peered down at her. Both men stood taller, ready to defend her. He looked them both in the eyes and shook his head. Then he looked back down at the small human. "I was wrong about you. I was wrong about a lot of things." Vakarian ignored his son's shocked expression. "I think you are just what my son needs. He is a good man with great potential and I think you are the key to his mastering it. I look forward to hearing about what you accomplish together." He placed his talons on her belly. "I look forward to seeing my grandchild." A look of wonder filled his craggy features. "I felt the baby. I felt its strength. It was…hmmm…amazing." He dropped his hand and cleared his throat.

He returned to his wife's side and helped her up. "Let's adjourn to the dining hall." Apparently, dinner had been delayed so long because there were four dinners served. The lower ranks, soldiers and staff ate first, followed by her friends and then the ambassadors ate…finally it was their turn…the family. Her mother and David were brought in to eat with the family.

There was a literal feast of human and turian delicacies. Being the curious sort and a bottomless pit, Shepard ate some of each. The turians were at first concerned when they noticed her eating their food. Garrus assured them turian food would not affect her and they sat in awe as they watched her eat and eat. They couldn't quite fathom where she put it all. They knew pregnant women ate more in general…, but it was still a sight to see. They watched their son and Shepard feed each other… in public no less. They were also surprised to see him eating human food. They shook their heads in concern, fearing that he would end up sick before the night was through.

Shepard was rather impressed with the turian cuisine and knew she'd have to pick up supplies and add more items to their shipboard menus. Even if it didn't agree with Garrus anymore, she would still enjoy it and there was Rojik and Solana to think about. She also made a note to pick up some quarian food for Tali so she didn't have to triple filter everything she ate. And while she was at it she'd grab some asari and salarian food. This mission was dangerous and the least she could do was give them a few amazing meals. The cook won't know what hit him.

When dinner was finished they adjourned to a sitting room with the other ambassadors. Cards, vids, booze and conversations flowed. She smiled at Wrex and kissed his jutting lip in thanks for his good behavior. The turians were stunned both that she would do that and that he would allow it. But they came to understand with Shepard anything can and should be expected. And they were surprisingly more okay with it than they thought they would be. Garrus and his father were showing David and her mother a turian game similar in nature to earth billiards. This gave Shepard the opportunity to sit down next to Mrs. Vakarian. "Mrs. Vakarian, will you trust me? I'd like to help you."

Julsie patted her hand. "Call me Julsie or better yet call me mom. You're my daughter. Of course I trust you …though I'm not sure how you could help me."

Shepard gave her a soft smile. "Will you trust me enough to let me hold you? I know most turians don't show a whole lot of affection in public, but I can ease your headache if you let me hold you."

"We females tend to be a bit more expressive than the men," Julsie said patting her hand. "I wasn't aware you could tell I have a headache. I thought I was doing well hiding it."

"You are. I…um…see things a little better than most people. I doubt anyone else is aware," Shepard assured her. "Please let me do this for you…mom."

The older woman smiled and nodded, Shepard lifted her arm and the older woman lay against her. Shepard wrapped her arm around her shoulders and placed a hand on her head. She placed her other hand next to the first and cradled the woman to her bosom. She pushed out and merged their auras. She pictured what she wanted to happen. Ugly, black death spots began to crawl up her aura, they made their way up her arms and disappeared out of sight. She knew exactly where they were going. She sent relaxing thoughts through her touch.

Julsie felt the soothing heat of the hands upon her head. The human, her daughter, was soft and comfortable to lie against. She was so happy that her son found this wonderful, loving, giving woman. Originally, she had been appalled about the human. But she knew…as her husband had said…that Shepard was just what her son needed. She liked the woman on sight. Felt drawn to her. When she had brought them all together and laid everything bare, she opened her heart to the young woman. Shepard had walked into their lives and done more for their family than anyone had ever done. Sure, she was going to lose her daughter to a lifemate, but she had gained so much more.

Rojik mandibles spread wide and pointed out the pair to Garrus. His mandibles dropped when he saw the dawning look of horror on Garrus' face. David and Hannah looked over at Garrus and wondered why he was so upset.

Shepard felt the eyes of her husband upon her. She glanced up and saw Garrus heading their way. She smiled put her finger to her wrist and put up shield barrier bubble around them. Garrus stopped cold, his hands against the bubble. "This is new." Then he shook his head, the bubble didn't matter right now. "Don't do this, vela. Think of the baby," he pleaded.

She gave him another soft smile. "I am thinking of the baby, husband." She poured stronger relaxing thoughts into her new mother, who essentially fell asleep against her side. She did not want her aware of the growing tension.

Everyone joined them at the bubble curious as to what was going on.

"Garrus why are our wives embraced on the divan?" Torlin asked and touched a talon to the white shimmering barrier. "And why is there a barrier up?"

Garrus saw the questioning look that everyone directed at him. "She's at it again. My mother…she is sick. She has Corpalis Syndrome…it's a degenerative neurological disease. There is no cure for it." Garrus' eyes returned to his wife. "Vela, why?"

"I cannot leave her to suffer. And I cannot leave him alone." She looked down at her new mother and scanned her aura. Lavender laced with white. She watched the last of the black leech into her aura and travel up her arms.

"What is happening, Garrus?" His father and her mother asked simultaneously.

"Shepard is healing mom," he admitted in defeat.

"That's not possible. There is no cure," his father stated resolutely.

"She's not curing her. She's absorbing the illness from mom's body and giving it to herself. Shepard has Corpalis Syndrome now," Garrus said in a strangled voice.

Hannah ran to the bubble next to Garrus, her hands clutching at it. She couldn't lose her daughter again...not again. She'd only just found her. "Arianna…" Tears fell unchecked down her cheeks. She felt David's arms slip around her waist.

"I know what I'm doing, mom."

Shepard laid the older woman back on the sofa and stood, her legs wobbly. She took a shaky step and fell to her knees. She smiled at her husband and used the table and sofa to leverage herself back onto her feet. She shuffled painfully over to the edge of the bubble and stood before her husband and mother. She placed her hands against theirs, only the bubble separating them. "Alert Chakwas and Mordin."

Tears fell from her husband's eyes. He didn't care who saw them. "You didn't have to do this, vela. You shouldn't have risked yourself…the baby."

"I didn't risk the baby. It is fine," she tried to assure him.

"What happens to it when you die?" he asked her.

"Nothing. The doctors won't let it go that far. It is strong. I feel it. It agreed with my choice," she said as her body wavered. She poured energy into the illness. She needed to advance it, to burn it out. Her body lurched. "Do not watch me husband…mom - This is not a memory you need to have."

Garrus shook his head. "You should have thought of that before you …you- Vela, I love you." He said trying to grip her hand through the bubble.

She stumbled and fell to the ground. She heard her mother shriek as her hands slid down the bubble. Garrus and her mother slid down with her to keep contact.

"You ever do this again and I'm going to take the stick out of my ass and beat you with it," Garrus said as fresh tears trailed down his plates.

She chuckled weakly, "Promises…promises..."

Her body spasmed and convulsed. She fell away from the bubble and hit her head against the table as her body heaved and bucked.

Garrus beat and clawed at the bubble as his heart broke to watch her suffer, he knew she was going to die; Corpalis Syndrome was a death sentence. All he could do was hope that the doctors and her virus would bring her back to him.

Hanah' fists beat against the barrier, she watched in horror as her daughter's body arched and twisted upon itself. Harsh sobs wracked her. She loved her daughter so much and she...she..

"She should be fine." Garrus said in a choked voice. He had to believe that. "It's just hard to see."

"How can anybody be _fine_ after this?" she cried past the tight lump in her throat.

"She's Shepard…she has to be," Garrus said quietly.

Solana wrapped her arms around Rojik and held him as his hands gripped the barrier.

Shepard's body arched up, bowed tight and relaxed. The barrier bubble winked out.

Garrus shot to her side, moved her away from the table and started depressing her chest. Tears coursed down his cheekplates, landed upon hers and rolled towards the floor. "Hannah, breathe into her now! Tilt her head back, pinch her nose with your fingers and blow air into her mouth."

Hannah dropped to her side and breathed into her daughter's mouth while Garrus continued the compressions. Within a few standard minutes Chakwas and Mordin burst through the door. Mordin scanned the baby as Chackwas depressed a huge syringe straight into Shepard's heart. Chakwas lined up the laser points on her chest. "Clear!" Everyone backed away.

Julsie was groggily waking up and her husband went to her side.

Shepard gasped and choked. Chakwas gave her a sad look and squeezed her shoulder. She was, however, relieved. She hadn't wanted to shock Shepard's heart; she had been worried about the baby.

Hannah pulled her little girl into her arms and rocked her. She looked up at David and saw the tears he didn't bother to hide.

"Baby is fine. Strong signs. Death not good, Shepard. Stop dying. Stressful to body," Mordin admonished her.

Mordin and Chakwas moved their attention to Julsie. They gave her every scan they could think of and a few that didn't cross their minds…as necessary, that is. They told Torlin they needed to do some blood work, but as far as the scans showed Julsie was free of disease. Torlin Vakarian thanked them and assured them he would get her to their doctor for the blood work.

The doctors looked at each other and shook their heads. "This event must never be known. Not by anyone. Tell your doctors that you are taking her to another clinic for experimental treatment. As time goes on you can tell whomever you like that she is responding well and in remission. Until then, continue to support her when she walks in public. The price Shepard would pay for her love and generosity is too high," Chakwas informed him.

"Of course," Torlin said, nodding his understanding. He held his wife and looked over in concern at the woman who gave so much to his family…to him. He owed her a great debt he could never repay.

Mordin held up a syringe seeking permission to withdraw some samples. Julsie nodded her consent. He smiled and bobbed his head in time to the patter songs playing in his head. When he had the samples he needed, he thanked them and left, deep in conversation with Chakwas. They didn't have the Normandy's labs, but they never went anywhere without their kits…and they did have EDI.

"What happened, Torlin?" Julsie asked. "Last thing I remember is Shepard was taking my headache away."

Torlin smiled down at his wife…his now healthy wife. "Shepard did take your headache away, Jewels. She took your disease away too. She is fine now, but she died for us, Jewels… I can never repay the debt I owe her."

Julsie's eyes opened wide and her mandibles dropped. "How is that possible, Torlin? She doesn't look dead. And diseases don't just disappear…you can't just take one away like it's a suitcase."

Torlin shrugged. "It's Shepard. She's a Spectre, she can break any rule she wants."

"So she saved me?" Julsie asked in awe.

"That's what she does," Garrus said in exasperation.

Garrus wrapped his arms around his wife and his new mother, as they tried to come to grips with watching her die.

When they had themselves under control again, Garrus rose and helped them both up.

Rojik put his arm around his lifemate and they all converged on the older, seated couple to check on Julsie.

Julsie jumped up and pulled Shepard into a tight hug. She placed her forehead against Shepard's and squeezed her hands. "I can never thank you for what you've done for me. What you went through for me. I never would have let you…you know that, right?"

"I know…That's why I didn't tell you what I was doing," she said with a smile. Julsie sucked in her breath and nodded.

When his wife stepped aside, Torlin looked down at Shepard, held out his hand and then sighed. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but he wrapped his arms around her awkwardly and gave her a hug. "I will never forget what you have done for this family…for me. I owe you a debt I can never repay."

"No, dad, you don't. There are no debts within family," she reminded him and hugged him back.

Torlin's mandibles flared wide. He clamped them tight when he noticed his son watching. He cleared his throat, released the human and stood back stiffly.

Garrus and Solana looked at each other in surprise and smiled.

David pulled his goddaughter in for a hug. He never wanted to go through seeing her die again. Three times he thought she'd died and that was more than any father should have to bear. He looked over at Garrus, who looked ragged and beaten down. It was far more than any lifemate should have to bear.

A comm notified them that a government official had arrived. He walked briskly into the room, he handed the special license to Torlin, who looked over it and nodded.

The official sat at a table with the couple before him. He asked the couple if they wanted to say anything. They didn't have any vows, so they just said a few words from the heart to each other. He asked them what name they wanted to go by officially. After a brief discussion they settled on Kandros-Vakarian.

Shepard was surprised that Rojik decided to take Solana's name too. But since it was his lifemate's name, it just felt right to her. She just hadn't realized turian men were so open to taking their wife's name. Very few human men were willing to do that.

Garrus couldn't help but wonder what his wife would do with her name once she was wed to him. Whatever she chose, he would support her.

The couple had their iris' scanned, signed the license and were wed. The kids suffered through two rounds of toasts. Rojik gave one last look at Shepard. 'Thank you,' he mouthed and they ditched the party…_the heat_ had other plans for them this night.

They spent another hour with the two sets of parents and then Garrus showed her to the other sitting rooms so that they could spend some time with their friends and crewmates. Shepard made her rounds, careful to leave no one out, not even Legion.

She had surprised him one day aboard the ship by bringing him more pieces of some of her older N7 armor so that he could better repair himself. She had asked him if he wanted her to order him some male N7 armor, but he refused. He seemed to only want armor that had been hers. He was able to manipulate a back plate to patch up the hole. She wasn't sure how he did it; he kept the old scraps of armor intact, added the new piece and somehow it all fit together and looked like it could have belonged on him. He was a marvel of ingenuity.

She liked him a lot. And no matter how many times she was corrected about him being an it, she continued to call it a him. That is how she saw him. He was one of her team, an equal…a friend, just as Grim was. And she adored him. She lavished the same affection on him that she did on anyone else, touching or kissing his face flaps. He was like an adorable floppy eared puppy cocking its head. Too cute to resist.

Legion had adjusted to her eccentricities fast. Her husband even joked that it flapped its plates as often as possible just to get more of her attention lavished on it. Her husband could be so silly at times.

By the time she'd made it through all of her friends, she was exhausted. She excused herself, told her husband to stay and enjoy himself, and made her way back to the master bedroom. Her husband followed her out. "I'm a big girl…I can make this walk all by myself, you know."

"You are mistaken, wife, if you think I wish to remain out there without you. I was only out there so long to be with you…If I had my way we'd have been alone in here much sooner," he told her softly. "I watched you die tonight, vela. I just need to be near you."

He peeled off her blue leather suit, stepped out of his own clothing and joined her on the bed. She pushed out and merged them. He lay next to her, his hand trailed down her body. His touch sent a wave of goosebumps following in the wake of his talons.

"I think you like this," he said softly.

"Perhaps just a little."

That he liked it too was a given. He took a breast in hand and the other in mouth she cried out as two very different sensations hit her at the same time. Garrus' thicker, warm tongue and firm, pliable mouth and his rough thumb pad and talons.

She ran her hand down his body and slid her fingers over the evidence of his arousal. His hips bucked into her palm as she increased the pressure and tempo of her movements.

As his tongue continued to lavish her breasts with attention, he slid his talons down her flat belly through her tight curls to her core. Garrus rubbed her hidden nub with his thumb and dipped a talon into her, moving against the spot that drove her mad.

He worked his tongue and mouth slowly down her body until his tongue replaced his talons. She screamed and bucked as he moved within her and against her. When her body started to stiffen he gently took her nub between his flexible mouthplates. She held tight to his head as the orgasm tore through her. She fell back against the pillows. "You are really going to kill me if you keep doing that to me."

"No, wife. I am going to love you. You do the killing all on your own."

"Ouch." Then, a wicked smile played on her mouth. "Your turn husband."

When aftershocks ended and heatbeats settled, he curled up around her and placed his talons on her belly. She had given him a connection to their baby he had never thought to have. She kept them merged long enough to allow baby and daddy to feel each other again and then she released it. He couldn't wait until she was far enough along to feel the baby move.

"Do you know what you are going to do with your name tomorrow after we are wed?" Garrus asked quietly.

"Is there something you prefer?" she asked curiously. She really hadn't thought about it. To the military she would always be Shepard.

"I will stand behind any choice you make, vela."

"Perhaps I should follow in the steps of my children. Shepard-Vakarian. What do you think?" She asked unsure what his response was going to be.

He smiled into the darkness. Relieved she would have his name, no matter how old fashioned the concept was.

"Or maybe we could both just ditch Vakarian and you could change your name to Shepard. Garrus Shepard…damn, that sounds horrible. Let's do that."

"Why you little-" he said as he poked at her. She giggled. He poked again; she giggled and tried to move away.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm ticklish"

"What is ticklish?"

"If you touch certain places on my body in a certain way it will make me laugh."

"hmmm…," he said "I need to find out more about this ticklish." He began searching out ticklish spots.

When he wouldn't stop she started tickling back. He'll rue the day he started this…because now she knew his weakness…she knew his tickle spots. Who knew such a dangerous man could be taken down by a mere tickle…he sure hadn't known. The look on his face when he discovered he too was ticklish was priceless.

Come morning, Garrus woke her with kisses and a very thorough loving. Breakfast was going to be a bit later due to protocol of 4 meals, so Garrus showed her the closet where a blue dress and her blue workout clothes were hung. He had sent someone back to the ship to gather up some more clothing for them last night and she was excited about not having to wear the same outfit as yesterday.

When they were in their workout suits, Garrus took them to a sparring room. It was massive. A few soldiers were already sparring, but for the most part it was empty. Some dummies of various sizes around the outsides of the room, but it mostly consisted of mats and padded walls.

Garrus tossed her micro-foam guards and they began their stretching together. The turians had never seen pair stretching, so snickered at what they considered must be odd, human behavior. Then another turian and Garrus faced off. While they were sparring she began a series of flips and back-bends…a gymnastics set that got her blood flowing.

A pair of sparring turians stopped their match. They couldn't decide who to watch, Shepard's bizarre actions or the Garrus match. Both were equally interesting to them.

Shepard looked over at the pair of turians and waved them over.

They looked at each other and walked over to her.

"Let's dance boys."

They gave her a cold look. "Turians don't _dance_."

"Oh, I don't know about that," she said looking at her husband. "I think it is more accurate to say they've never tried. But, that isn't want I meant anyway. I'll take on either or both of you."

They looked at each other and laughed. "The little human wants to spar."

"She's a dignitary, we might hurt her."

"Boys, I'm beginning to think you're afraid of me."

They laughed harder. "No, just afraid of reprisals if you are injured,_ little_ human."

"You would actually need to touch me to injure me and I don't think you're capable of it."

The smiles left their faces. They nodded to each other. One stepped away.

She shook her head. "Both of you."

She stood, knees slightly bent as they began to circle her, sizing her up. She tuned out everything but their every movement. She saw them gather themselves and knew they were both going to charge her at the same time. She waited…timing crucial. Three…two…wait for it…one…She jumped up, kicked out her legs, doing a mid-air spit and slamming them both under the chin and sending them stumbling backwards, one of them hit the mats jarringly. She'd gotten their attention.

The match then became more difficult. She'd never sparred with two at one time before, so she had to rely on her wits and flexibility. Above all, she had to keep moving so as not to make herself a target. She used their legspurs and fringes against them. More than once she'd grabbed hold of their head fringes to spin them to the mats. It was dirty on her part, but with two against her, she had to use what she could. More times than they could count they ended up doing a bit of damage to each other because by the time their moves followed through, she just wasn't there anymore. She was relying solely on her gymnastics and flexibility, turning it into a style of fighting…her own improvising. She didn't have the reach needed to fight turian style. Not against turians.

Eventually, they nodded to her in respect and quit the mats. She turned to her husband and threw down the gauntlet. Garrus shook his head. "You just had a tough match; you're too tired to take me on."

"I'm never too tired to take you on," she said seductively.

Garrus' mouth opened then closed. He felt himself grow hard. "You're going down."

"Only on you, darling."

Garrus' chest began to rumble lightly. He looked around and noticed a few turians giving him knowing looks. He shot her a vindictive glare. "You will pay for that."

"Promises…promises."

Word had spread about her taking on the two turian soldiers. More turians came by to watch her spar. She flowed around Garrus like a ribbon. The turians were surprised that he didn't seem to be holding back, despite sparring with his wife. That showed her great respect. They would each manage to send the other flying, but a twist of the body and they never hit the mats. With the last move, Garrus' body followed through and for a moment he had his back to her…that was all she needed. She launched herself at him, put her hands on his carapace and lifted herself. He spun around and they toppled to the mats, his face buried between her clenched thighs. He lightly nipped her and blew hot breath on her. Her thighs fell open. He took a deep breath to calm himself, which was the last thing he should have done. The smell of her desire…her pheromones tore through him. He rolled them over so that he was on top. He was shaking as he crawled up her body and pinned her arms. He ground against her, the need for her too intense. He lowered his head, intent on capturing her mouth.

With him in a position they understood, the turians hooted and cheered. They began to laugh even harder when Rojik came through the door and heaved Garrus off of her. Rojik knew Garrus had lost himself in her. He had lost himself in his lifemate too often last night to not be able to read the signs. Garrus took deep breaths, now that he was away from his wife his head cleared. He nodded to Rojik and watched as the young man took his place on the mats against his wife.

Garrus still needed an outlet… he was too worked up. He caught the eye of one soldier and nodded. The soldier stepped on the mats. Garrus tossed him foam guards and they faced off.

With the two matches going at the same time, the viewers couldn't decide who to watch. Garrus was the patriarch's son…the guard was the Captain of the guard. Most of them hadn't got to watch Garrus spar in a long time. …and they had all seen what Shepard could do, she was amazing to watch.

By the time they quit the mats, Garrus and Shepard had earned their respect.

"I would give anything for a shower right now," Shepard said wistfully as they entered the master bedroom.

"I'm sorry, vela. The radiation in the water…wait. I remember we have a guest shower…it's filtered. Grab your things." Garrus led the way to the guest shower. As luck would have it the small room was unoccupied. Garrus locked the door as his wife stripped and stepped under the cascading water. He was quick to join her.

Refreshed and sated they made their way to the dining hall. She greeted Rojik and Solana with a hug. When Rojik embraced her he whispered, "Thank you, Shepard. You have given me a priceless gift." He lowered his forehead to hers. She could feel his hardness, but knew it wasn't for her.

"I know exactly what you're going through," she said smiling up at him. He stood for a moment stunned and then shook his head.

"Yes, you do," he said with a flush, rubbing the back of his neck.

She squeezed him tight. "I'm glad you found each other."

Rojik shook Garrus' hand and returned to his lifemate.

The youths were glowing and their eyes kept finding their way back to each other. She smiled at her husband. Things were no different with them. That the younger pair were 22 and 25 didn't matter. A lifemate was a lifemate and it was hard to keep your hands and eyes off of them.

She approached her new mom and dad. She pulled them each in for a hug too and placed a kiss on their mandibles. Torlin hugged her back awkwardly. He pulled back a bit and lowered his forehead to hers, then cleared his throat and moved stiffly away.

Garrus and Solana just stared at each other stunned. That their father would allow the embrace, was shocking, that he would return it and accept the kiss was unbelievable. That he gave her affection given only to a mate or small child was inconceivable.

Shepard gave them a blinding smile and returned to her husband.

Garrus grinned at the smile-shocked couple and pulled his wife into his arms. "I think Rojik might just be a little bit in love with you," he said quietly. Garrus was waiting for her to deny it like she always did when he mentioned someone's feelings.

Shepard pulled back to look into his eyes. She opened her mouth then closed it. She paused for a moment and then nodded. "I'm not blind, Garrus. I see everything. I choose to ignore things that could lead to discomfort or embarrassment. I know he's a bit…infatuated, but i also know whatever he feels for me is nothing compared to what he feels for his lifemate. You won't ever have to worry about him hurting Solana.

"You see far more than I realized," he told her.

"Far more than anyone realized. I know Wrex loves me as family, Liara's in love with me, Tali's in love with me, Kaidan is love with me, Samara's in love with me – but will fight it with everything in her, Jacob's infatuated…but thankfully, Kasumi is pulling him in another direction now, Legion is infatuated, Kelly's in love with me, Bailey's infatuated, Joker loves me as family, Solana's infatuated…there is nothing I don't see. I don't feel. I just choose to pretend not to know. I feel it is in everybody's best interest."

Garrus' mouth dropped open. He hadn't even been aware of some of those people's feelings. "If you know so much, why couldn't you tell how much I loved you?"

"Because I loved you. My heart was on the line. I was so afraid of being hurt that I couldn't or wouldn't see what was right in front of me," she said and pulled him down for a kiss.

He pulled her in tight and deepened the kiss. He didn't care that his parents and her parents were watching, he wouldn't care a room full of turians were watching. He wanted nothing more than to kiss his wife.

She pulled back. "I'm glad you finally decided to step up to the plate, Vakarian. I wonder how long it would have taken us if you hadn't."

They sat down at the table and continued their quiet conversation as breakfast was served.

"You kind of caught me off guard with what you were -er…doing. But I knew in my heart that things were going to change that night. I couldn't fight it any longer. I avoided you as long as I could, but it was tearing at me. I needed you fiercely and I was going to tell you that night. I was going to do whatever it took to convince you to love me back," Garrus admitted.

"It wouldn't have taken any convincing at all."

They looked up when they saw the Vakarians sit down at the table across from Rojik and Solana. "We have a gift for you," Torlin said. "Had you been able to stay on Palaven I'd have had a house built for you on our land, but we thought this would serve you better," he said as he handed Solana the e-pad.

She flipped it on and her mandibles spread wide. She ran around the table and hugged both her parents. Her father stood stiffly, but allowed it. She turned to her husband. "I've been honorably discharged. Released from military service. I don't have to finish my last three years!" She ran back around the table. Rojik stood up and took her into his arms, brought his mouth to hers and gave her a scorching kiss.

Torlin and Julsie, embarrassed by the enthusiastic kiss, wandered away to converse with other guests.

Shepard hadn't even realized the problem. Though, now she could see it clearly. Each turian had to give at least ten years of military service. That was a very thoughtful gift, indeed.

Garrus led her back to the master bedroom. "I think it's time we got ready for our wedding, vela. I'm going to check in with my parents, I'll be right back."

After Rojik and Solana were married she had sought her out to ask her if she would be her ring bearer. Solana was ecstatic and eagerly agreed.

When the door closed behind him, she commed Solana about the ring. She assured her she had it and that she remembered everything she had asked her to do. There was more she didn't tell her, but she would find out soon enough.

She stripped off her leisure clothes, took the blue dress out of the closet, and shimmied into it. It had no straps, her bond mark displayed proudly on her shoulder. The bustier pushed her breasts up and out. The bustier had a series of diamond cut outs going down the front and back, expanding with size the lower they went. The smallest one began in the center of her breasts, showing a peek-a-boo of where they met in the middle. The largest one encompassed her sapphire imbued navel and dipped down to her pubic line. The dress' metallic glow shimmered when she moved. The skirt clung to her hips like a second skin down to mid-thigh where it flared loose and flowing down to her toes and training out behind her.

Garrus walked into the door and took his first look at her in the dress and his mouth fell open. "With you around I have to make sure all of my shirts hang low or I would be forever embarrassed. Spirits, vela…You look good enough to eat." Garrus noticed his wife turned nearly scarlet. "What's the matter?"

She burst out laughing. "In human culture "eat" can be a crude way to describe…the, er…amazing things your tongue can do to my…um…lower wards."

Garrus looked at her confusion for a moment before his eyes opened wide and he smiled. "If that is the case, then I can't wait for this evening to come to an end so that I can eat my wife."

She blushed harder and laughed with embarrassment. "Stars…I should never have told you that, Garrus…I doubt you will ever let me live it down."

"Not a chance," he said as he ushered her out the door. He led her to a very large parlor. All of her friends and family were already seated inside to the left of the isle. Turians lined the seat on the right side of the isle. David, Rojik and Solana were outside in the hall with them. They nearly swallowed their tongues when they saw the dress she had on. Tali and Liara stood at the front on the left side, Wrex and Legion stood at the front on the right side. She was surprised. It looked like a real, old-fashioned human wedding.

Garrus smiled at her. "I talked with Miranda, told her I wanted to give you an earth wedding. She helped with all of this." Rojik placed a bouquet in her hands and touched his forehead to hers and then slipped through the door to find is seat. Garrus gave her a brief kiss and rushed down the aisle to stand at the front. It was all so sweet…so perfect.

Bag pipe music started blaring from the comm. She looked up as Miranda shot out of her chair and ran over to Ken. He turned red, nodded and put in the correct melody. She burst out laughing. A Scottish dirge at her wedding. Thanks Ken. Won't forget that.

David held out his arm and led her slowly down the aisle. Solana followed, pillow in hand. When they reached Garrus, David hugged her tight, hugged Garrus, and then placed her hand into Garrus'. He bowed and made his way back to his seat.

The turian presiding did his best with the unfamiliar words. They spoke the traditional vows, minus the _obey_…neither one was good with that concept and then spoke a few words from the heart. When it came time for the rings, Solana stepped up with the rings displayed on the pillow. When the rings were taken, she returned to her seat next to Rojik.

Both of their eyes opened in shock. Neither knew the other had gotten a ring. She slipped the ring, which was not quite circular - it was designed to fit a turian's talon, on his far left finger and pledged herself to him. He slipped his ring over the third finger of her left hand and pledged himself to her.

You may now kiss the bride. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a steamy kiss no one would forget. They turned around for their wedding picture. When it was taken, a platform was brought in behind her and Garrus, she had two chairs arranged in the front. She and Garrus took the chairs. Solana and Rojik stood behind them and both sets of parents stood on the platform behind them. Garrus put his arm around her shoulder and rested his other hand on her thigh. She sandwiched his hand between hers. A final shot was taken of the whole family.

A dextro cake was brought in and the couple cut off a slice for each other. Shepard gave a wicked smile and after Garrus took a bite of it, she smashed it all over his mouth and laughed. His eyes shot open and narrowed. He took her slice of cake and smashed it against her lips. A big dallop of frosting dropped into her cleavage and she yelped. He dipped his tongue down between her breasts and scooped it up.

Everyone on the wife's side hooted and clapped. There were a few chuckles and grins from the turian side, but that was as far as it went.

As they were scanned and signed the license, Garrus shocked her again. He had signed the name Garrus Shepard-Vakarian.

The staff came in and moved the chairs to the sides of the room and dancing music was put on. The turians found their seats. Garrus and Shepard moved out on the dance floor to have the first dance, as was custom.

She knew it was going to be a long, exhausting night. There were a lot of people here and she intended to have at least half a dance with each one. Her next dance went to David and then she pulled Torlin onto the floor. He was stiff at first and nearly refused her out of hand…but a wide smile on her part made him crumble. He began to relax and enjoy himself. Of course, he would never tell anyone that. She pulled Julsie onto the floor next. Juslie was quick to learn the moves, so she taught her a few she could do with her husband. She whispered that she knew he would cave if she pushed him enough to dance with her. She moved onto Rojik, who awkwardly moved them around the dance floor. Once he got the hang of it he relaxed against her and began to enjoy himself. Then his eyes sought out his lifemate and he smiled at her. He gave Shepard a few more turns, tilted her head up, dropped his head to hers, thanked her, bowed, made his way to his lifemate and spun her onto the dance floor.

Shepard let them have the dance. She grabbed Wrex, who awkwardly moved and griped the whole time. Of course, it didn't stop him from holding her close…always trying to get a rise out of Garrus.

She then broke in and stole Solana from Rojik.

"I know he's in love with you, Shepard…or at the very least infatuated. And I don't blame him…or you. You're an extraordinary woman…easy to love. It would not be easy being your lifemate. Too many people love you. Not sure how my brother does it."

"I'm sure there's just as many who would like nothing better than to see me dead," she said with a laugh.

"No doubt. Thank you, sister. Thank you for bringing us together. And thank you for teaching me how to kiss," she said with a laugh. She tilted Shepard's head up and laid her forehead against her.

Shepard showed her a few sensual moves to use on Rojik later. They hugged and Shepard searched out a new partner. She grabbed up Ken and spun him onto the dance floor. "Ken, I'm about to bitch slap you. You are about as blind and slow as a slug," she admonished.

"Commander Shepard -" he began in shock.

"Ken…life is too short to play games. You talk and joke about women and their bodies in front of a woman who is madly in love with you. Your eyes are wide shut to the best thing you have in your life. So, get your head out of your ass before it is too late."

Kens eyes opened wide…his mouth opened and closed like a fish. His eyes darted to Gabby, who was looking in their direction. "She likes me?" he asked in wonder.

"One bitch slap coming up." Shepard raised her hand.

Ken held his arms up in surrender. "Life is too short…I'm thinkin' I need to woo a lady…thank you for settin' me straight, Commander," he said and headed off in Gabriella's direction.

It was a long, tiring evening, but she'd gotten to every last turian and friend. Dancing with her mom was probably the most awkward. Legion, however, managed to surprise her. He had apparently researched the moves to an old earth dance and she laughed as he twirled her around the floor. He was surprisingly graceful. When he dipped her at the end, she reached up and kissed his headlight.

There had been no official dinner, just trays of every food imaginable laid out on tables along the edges of the room. Shepard discovered just how spicy Salarian food could be. Her throat nearly closed up in protest…but she'd eat it again for grins and giggles. It was actually good…when she wasn't choking.

She made her way to a chair, took off her shoes and propped her feet up on a second chair. Her husband was quickly at her side. Garrus sat down, put her feet in his lap and began to rub them, awkwardly…but sweetly. She closed her eyes and moaned in ecstasy. Her feet were so damn sore from the shoes and the dancing. She could swear she was going to end up in a puddle on the floor.

"I think it's time to call it an evening, wife. You're done in."

"I can't," Shepard said frantically.

"Spirits, vela…you look like you're ready to drop. Why the hell not?"

"My feet. I can't walk…they hurt too much," she admitted sheepishly.

Garrus picked her up in his arms; they bade their goodbyes and carried her to the master bed room. He gently peeled the dress from her body. He then removed the tiny scrap that covered her tight curls. She was so close…smelled so good…he darted in and ran his tongue through her folds and flicked her nub. She moaned and her hips bucked. "I told you I was going to eat you, wife."

He removed his clothing, crawled into bed with her and showed her just how much he loved her. They fell asleep with his talons on her belly. Tomorrow after breakfast they would be heading back to the Normandy, at least the crew was. He was going to take her to a few sights before they returned. Shepard needed a visit to the med-bay and they had still had a hell of a lot of work to do…play time was just about over.

Garrus woke her up come morning and they had a final love scene on Palaven. When breakfast was over she made her tearful goodbyes to Liara and Wrex…she apologized for the tears…the baby was making her emotional.

David and Hannah shook hands with Torlin and Julsie, promising to keep in touch.

When Solana was done with her goodbyes to her parents, Shepard moved in and hugged and kissed them both. "I love you both and will miss you. I promise I will keep in touch…if you want me to."

"Of course we do," Julsie assured her.

She smiled at them both and stepped away so Garrus could make his goodbyes. He hugged his mother and held out his hand to his father. His father shook it and pulled him in for an awkward back-slap kind of hug. "You did good, son. I think you will have your hands full with that one….Have to wonder if she's not too much for you to handle. But you were right, I do like her."

"Bite your tongue, dad. And I know full well you love her just like everyone else does."

Torlin grunted, pulled away and put his arm around his wife. Everyone but the three turians slipped their helmets on and headed out to the small shuttle that awaited them. The palatial shuttle had already left with the rest of the dignitaries.

Garrus instructed the pilot to head to the Stroilik Museum. They were able to remove their armor because the next stop had hangars to land in for tourists. They looked out the window amazed at the glittering city below. According to Garrus all cities had fortified walls still in use.

They pulled into the hangar and proceeded through a security check-point. When her Spectre status was verified her group was allowed to retain any weapons they had on them. As they wandered through the gallery, Garrus and Solana pointed out paintings, sculptures and artifacts that had special meaning to the turian culture. Paintings and sculptures tended to have broad, bold strokes. It was different than the types of art she was used to seeing. It was stunning in a sleek and simple way.

When they were back in the shuttle, Shepard asked Solana what she wanted to do now that she was out of the military. She said she thought she'd join the C-Sec academy with Rojik. As lifemates they'd be teamed together. Lifemates may not be common, but everyone knew not to separate them. Getting them to allow them both into the academy would be tricky part. She would pull any strings necessary to see that it happened.

Next stop was the Cravitus Zoo. They stepped back into their armor and headed out into the mid-day sun. Shepard was stunned by the strangeness of the animals within. They all had metallic shells or plates, sometimes in the oddest areas. Some were almost cute, others walked out of a nightmare. One such monstrosity was a huge, bear-sized beast with a long pointed snout, with two rows of sharp, pointy teeth.

She felt an odd pull towards it. She jumped, the disks slid out of her boots and she rose over the protective barrier and moved in towards the beast. It snarled at her, baring a mouth full of teeth. It charged at her and swung its massive paw. She didn't move. It stared at her with cold, beady eyes and snapped its teeth. It began to stalk her. She flipped on her OT, her fingers flew across the holopad and then she held out her hand and encased it in reverse barrier bubble, which was usable to keep something in rather than out. She hadn't wanted to do that, but she needed to get close enough to try to merge with it. She could feel its pain, but couldn't tell where the pain was coming from. When she stood next to the massive beast she pushed out and merged their auras. Alien feelings washed through her. Unorganized, hectic. She sent relaxing, soothing thoughts to the beast, closed her eyes and forced the sight. The creature had a brownish tan aura with reddish tints. But she could see the problem. Something was lodged in its…no his neck area. Her OT flashed and she ran a hand across the middle of the barrier bubble, creating a small opening so that she could feel the creature's neck. No good. The damage was on the inside not the outside. She opened the bubble at the top of the creatures head and touched his facial plates. She sent more relaxing, soothing energy to him through the aural meld. She slowly worked the bubble lower over his head, rubbing him and soothing him as she went.

She reprogrammed her OT and threw up a barrier bubble around them in case the zoo keepers made it in before she was through. When his whole head was free she stroked the hard muzzle. He opened his mouth and grunted. She sent more calming energy, removed her glove and slowly put her hand into the huge mouth. By the time her hand reached the back of his throat her whole arm, up past the shoulder, was submerged between the needle sharp teeth. Her hand felt the obstruction. She pulled the obstruction gently out and then pictured the torn, infected wound being healed. A dark mass moved up her arm and disappeared from sight. When her throat grew painfully sore she slowly withdrew her arm. Ew. Her arm was all slimy. Thank god for the armor. A broken, sharp bone lay in her hand. She threw it to the ground and put her glove back on.

The creature rubbed his head against her. She expanded the barrier bubble forcing the zoo keepers back through the door they'd entered from. She threw up a barrier field in front of the door and shut down the large bubble, if they charged back in someone would get hurt.

When she released the creature from the barrier bubble. He rocked himself against her and she tumbled to the ground. He lay down next to her, put a massive paw on her belly and rubbed his snout into her. She laughed, moved his paw and pulled herself up by hanging onto one of his plates. He rolled over on the ground; she straddled him and rubbed vigorously at his exposed, tough skin. When she got off him, he rose and shook himself. She walked over to his uneaten food, with him at her heals, and picked up a huge slice of something she didn't want to identify. She held it out to him and he gently took it out of her fingers. It was time to go. He gobbled another piece of meat and charged after her. As she approached the protective barrier he rocked into her again, but she managed to keep her balance this time.

He grunted and gave off two higher pitched mewls at her. She couldn't resist that. She turned around, walked up to the beast and pulled his head down. She wrapped her arms around as much of his neck as she could and touched her helmet to his hard nose. Then she returned to the barrier and rose over it. The beast charged at the barrier and rose on his hind legs, placing his paws as close to the barrier as he dared. Through past experience he knew better than to touch it. She reached her hand out nodded and waved to the beast as she rose over the barrier. He swung his massive head up and down and waved his paw.

When her feet touched the ground her husband was all over her. The beast let out a savage roar and charged the barrier. He stumbled back as bolts of harsh energy struck him. He stood, shook himself, bounced back and forth on his front legs and readied for another charge. She asked her husband to back off for the time being. She raised her hand and waved. He waved back and mewled.

When they were out of the beast's sight Garrus began shaking her, clutching her to him and yelling at her. Rojik, Solana and David joined in. Her mother just looked at her.

"I wasn't in any danger."

Their eyes opened wide in shock, well at least the three sets of eyes she could see. "Not in any-" Garrus sputtered. "You had your arm in its mouth up to your neck. If it bit down-"

"I had my armor on and I shielded myself…but it wasn't necessary. He wanted my help. He asked for it. He had a broken bone lodged deep in his throat. It was infected. I had to help." She absently rubbed her irritated throat. At least it was starting to feel better now.

Since Garrus was so busy griping, Rojik pulled her into his arms. "You scared the hell out of all of us, Shepard." He placed his forehead against hers and released her. He looked at Garrus. "I don't know how you do it. I swear she'd put me in the grave if she were my lifemate." He turned a worried look to Solana. "Tell me you won't ever do anything like that."

"Not ever," she assured him, her mandibles spreading when he sighed in relief.

That is when they looked up and noticed the crowd of people watching them and pointing at them. The crowd made its way steadily closer like it was approaching a wild animal.

"Crap," Garrus said. He grabbed her hand and took off at a run. Garrus in the lead, they darted in and around various displays. The crowd followed. They took a sharp left as soon as they lost the crowd and he led them down into a tunnel. They opened the door at the bottom and slipped inside. The lights came on by the time the door closed behind them. Besides them, the room was empty.

She looked around in awe. She tried to break free from the hand that held her, but he wouldn't let go, so she pulled him along with her. They were under a massive aquarium. This enclosure was more designed for tourists, because turians weren't fans of being under tons of water. She looked through the clear permiglass walls at an alien underwater nightmare world. Where the creatures within made sharks and crocodiles look like cuddly kittens.

Garrus and Solana shivered. "The things I go through for you, wife," he said in a strained voice.

She pulled Garrus into her arms. "I'll make it up to you later," she said seductively as she pulled him down and placed her helmeted head against his.

He crushed her to him tightly. "See that you do."

Rojik groaned, Solana chuckled and her parents just rolled their eyes. Garrus pushed her at Solana as he made his way over to a storage closet. He hacked it and started sorting through its contents. Solana held her firmly. Guess they didn't much trust her left to her own devises. But she was uncertain what trouble she could get into in the underground room.

Garrus returned with three long, hooded coats. He tossed them to the older pair and Shepard. David helped her and her mother on with their coats and then drew on his own. Garrus shook his head. Shepard was far from helpless and probably resented the hell out of being coddled like a child. He cocked his head curiously when he noted the soft smile David received. I'll be damned. So that's how the game was being played. He hadn't even known the rules. He'd have to research that later. He wanted those soft smiles all to himself.

The coats had zoo emblems on them and the cowls could be pulled up far enough to shield their heads. With luck they could make it back to the shuttle without the crowd noticing them.

As they left the underground chamber her husband didn't hold her hand, that would look to strange, but everyone did walk very close to her. They passed a few more enclosures as they made their way back to the shuttle. One held monkey like creatures that shrieked and chattered as they walked by. Another enclosure held massive pterodactyl type birds with plated carapaces, sharp teeth and huge leathery wings. The final enclosure they passed was a petting zoo for children. Various harmless plated animals stood within while children squealed and giggled over them. Apparently, zoos were zoos no matter where you went.

As they neared the exit a small child ran up to them. He thought she was a zoo official. The child was shaking and crying. She squatted down and the child looked into her helmeted face. His eyes grew wide. She held her finger up to her face in the universal shushing sign. She picked up the child and balanced him on her hip.

"What's the matter sweetie?"

"I lost my mommy and daddy."

She pushed out and merged her aura to his and sent calming soothing energy to him. His eyes opened wide and he placed a sticky hand against her helmet. She took off her glove and he grabbed her strange, odd fingers, marveling at their how strange and alien they were. "My name is Commander Shepard and I will help you find your parents." She moved her hand to the side of his neck and connected herself to him via touch and aura. She felt a slight pull and began to follow where it led. It was like a childhood game of hot and cold. Eventually the pull was strong enough that she could follow it directly. She saw a turian couple frantically waving their arms about talking to another turian with the zoo's emblem on his shirt. Shepard put her glove back on and waved Garrus in the couple's direction. He sighed, pulled the couple away from the official and pointed in their direction.

The couple made a beeline for their child. She tried to put the child down, but he wouldn't let go of her. She saw the shock register on the couple's faces when they saw who held their child. She tried to hand the child over to his mother, but he held on tight. He grabbed her helmet and lowered her head to touch his. She gave him a tight hug and then he turned and held his hands out for his mother.

Shepard introduced herself and shook their hands. Garrus spoke quietly to them to calm them down. They handed her a datapad, she nodded and gave them her autograph. They left the couple talking excitedly amongst themselves. They needed to take their leave before the couple drew too much attention to them.

When they climbed aboard the shuttle, Garrus helped her remove her coat and armor and she fell bonelessly onto the seat. Garrus directed the driver to their final destination. Erataka's …one of his favorite restaurants. It catered to tourists as well, so had levo food on the menu.

They pulled into a tourist hangar so that armor wouldn't be needed. He signed his new full name on the waiting list. Shepard received a ping on her omni tool, she opened the screen and a turian greeted her, asking her to bring her group forward. The manager's mandibles flared wide and he bowed his head at her, telling her how pleased they were to have her grace their humble establishment. They were escorted to the second floor VIP section. David held out her chair to seat her and then did the same for Hannah, Garrus grumbled, another thing he had to remember. They all sat down and poured over the menu.

With their orders placed, they talked quietly until Shepard was pinged again. She raised the screen and Bailey's face popped up. He'd just heard about her string pulling and wanted to relay the information personally that both of the kids were accepted and enrolled into the academy. They would begin training as soon as they returned. It was all a formality, he said. With the training they already had they would surely graduate within a couple of weeks. Shepard thanked him for letting her know and signed off. With sparkling eyes and a wide smile she gave the news to the younger adults. The lunch became a celebration.

When the food arrived they tore into their meals. Garrus and Arianna absently continued to feed each other as they talked. The other couples took that as a cue and began doing the same. Shepard noticed something more in the eyes of David and her mother. She wondered when their relationship had begun. Oh, she knew it wasn't when her father was still alive. Her mother and father were so deeply in love that it had been embarrassing at times.

As the meal came to an end, their plates were removed and the manager asked if they wouldn't mind a picture being taken to adorn their VIP wall. She and Garrus sat in chairs and the other two couples stood behind them, their hands on the shoulders of the seated pair. They were thanked profusely, asked her to sign it and refused payment for the meal… lunch was on the house.

They trailed down the stairs to the restaurant's lower level. The vid screen halted its program for a special news bulletin that showed someone's OT recordings of her deeds at the zoo. They looked at each other, grinned and fled the establishment before the connection to her could be made. They piled aboard the shuttle and made their way back to the port city and the Normandy.

In the Normandy's airlock she asked EDI to have a couple of crewmen standing by to collect their armor. When the decontamination protocol ended and the doors opened she handed their armor to the crewmen and asked the other two couples to join them in medbay.

Mordin and Chakwas were ready and waiting when they filed in. She stripped down to her bra and panties and climbed up on the table. Rojik tried his best not to show that he'd just swallowed his tongue. It was a shock to see so much of Shepard's soft, white skin. Solana a bit in awe herself smiled and hugged her star-struck lifemate. David cleared his throat, a bit uncomfortable until he felt Hannah's reassuring touch on his arm.

A holo popped up of Shepard's body and Mordin zoomed it in to display the baby on the screen. Everyone stared in awe at the baby; none had seen such remarkable detail before. It had been thirty years since Hannah was pregnant and scans had improved a lot. Mordin drew several vials of blood as Chakwas inserted massive needle into Shepard's abdomen. She cried out as she squeezed the life out of her husband's hands.

Everyone watched intently as the needle pierced the membrane and withdrew the amitotic fluid. She removed the needle and handed it off to Mordin. She inserted a new needle that she used to refill the membrane bubble. Shepard bit her lip trying not to scream when it pierced her skin. Chakwas left the needle in place, unscrewed the syringe and inserted a longer, hair thin needle that Mordin had prepared with the gene therapy he and Shepard had designed. She blew up the picture of the baby until only it could be seen in the screen. She maneuvered the large needle until it was near the baby. She pierced the baby's leg with the tiny needle and injected the contents. Shepard gasped as the needle was withdrawn.

Garrus watched a bead of blood travel from the wound and work its way down her belly. He had to tamp down on his need to run his tongue along its path. But he felt uncomfortable doing so in front of the others.

"Take it," Shepard encouraged.

Garrus looked at Shepard's white belly and the blood that marred it. He bent over Shepard and ran his tongue along her belly, careful to catch every last drop. When his tongue reached the needle hole, she held his head and told him to drink. He worried the small wound and more drops of blood coated his tongue. He could feel it rushing through his veins, revitalizing him. She released his head and he stood up, looking down on her with love. Her blood packed a hell of a punch.

The other couples didn't know what to make of what they just witnessed. Then Solana smiled and nudged Rojik with her elbow. She sent him a heated look. One that was not missed by the others.

When they'd learned the turian couple was going to be returning with them, Hannah elected to give up her room in Life Support so the young married couple could have privacy. The small cot had been exchanged for a slightly larger bed they'd purchased on Palaven. A temporary privacy wall was erected around the sofa in the XO's room. David had offered to take the sofa and gave the bed to Hannah. For once her mother hadn't argued, but she was pretty sure it was because her mother had no intention of sleeping in that bed alone.

When the holo was turned off, both couples made their excuses and left the med-bay. Rojik's mandibles flared, he grabbed his lifemate's hand and dashed out the door. When they reached the life support chamber, their eyes fell on the bed. It wasn't a large bed, but certainly had room enough for two. He pulled Solana into his arms and gave her a searing kiss. They tore off each other's clothes and gave in to the lifemate fire.

As Shepard dressed the doctors assured them that she and the baby were in optimal health. They thanked them and walked, arms around each other, to the elevator. In the elevator the kisses grew hot and the touches bold. They stumbled into the cabin, clothes trailing behind them.

The moment the door closed her husband stripped her bare and tossed her on the bed…her blood hot in his veins.

Shepard placed a large order of supplies that would be picked up at the Citadel when they arrived. Their larders would be stuffed with food for every species. She even added an order for Krogan since they were due to be picking one up soon.

The next few days were both exciting and sad…knowing that it would all be ending too soon. Solana and Rojik joined them on the mats and they began working in teams or practiced sparring with more than one opponent. They spent a lot of time teaching the younger pair new moves, who quickly learned just how sensual sparring could be. On more than one occasion they rushed from the rec room hand in hand. The older pair hot on their heels, though there was a time or two they just sealed the rec room after the younger couple's departure.

The firing range was a huge hit with the younger pair. A couple of time a day they made their way down there, kicking out whoever was using it. The kid's training came first. They wanted to make sure they were both proficient in all the various weapons C-Sec used. Garrus spent a lot of training and drilling the kids on C-Sec protocol. Being in the Academy sucked and he wanted to make sure they passed their testing right out of the gate.

Shepard met with Legion privately every few days. When Mordin joined the crew he began to come to the secret meetings as well. So much was riding on the geth and salarians. So far no one was the wiser and no one had found out about the meetings. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to keep it up, but was determined to for as long as she could. Until things were settled more, she didn't want anyone else finding out what was going on. That included her husband.

Joker alerted them that they were waiting for docking clearance at the Citadel. Shepard was nervous, sad, and excited. Her mind going in several directions at once. She'd spent a lot of comm time with a realtor, trying to pick out the perfect flat for the young couple. She'd paid for it in full, they'd only need to cover taxes and utilities, both of which she'd covered for the first year. Her VIP status allowed her to purchase a lower level flat. It had a large hot tub. She knew turians weren't a great fan of water, but she also knew how much Garrus enjoyed their baths…and well, this was a hot tub, who wouldn't enjoy that? She hoped like mad they'd like the flat. She had yet to tell her husband. Garrus didn't know just how wealthy she had been. Recent expenditures had taken a massive chunk out of her wealth and she was pretty sure there would not be much left by the time she was through. But, since money had a way of falling in her lap she doubted she would be in the poor house for long.

Her mother and David had been the first to leave the ship. She hugged them tight and gave them teary goodbyes. Garrus hugged them both and then pulled his wife into his arms to comfort her. He knew she'd gotten close to her mother over the last three weeks and he also knew it could be quite some time before they would be able to see her again. In truth, he'd grown close to the couple as well. David was an easy man to like; it had been easier than he thought to see him as a second father. And while he was sure he wouldn't have cared for the old Hannah, the new Hannah touched his heart. He was proud to have them as his parents.

When the airlock released, Bailey stood to greet them and let them know he would be escorting the couple to the Academy. She told Bailey she'd bring them right back. She took Rojik's and Solana's arms and led them to the elevator. A few floors up the elevator opened and she led them to one of four doors. She hugged the couple close, handed Rojik the key and motioned for him to open the door. They stepped in and looked around the fully furnished home.

"I wasn't sure what you would like. You can change out any of the furnishings that you want. I had them leave a list of the suppliers' names on the kitchen counter. Other than that, I hope you like your new home. It's paid for in full and the first year of taxes and utilities have been covered." She held her breath awaiting a response.

Their eyes grew wide as they looked around.

"This is all ours?" Solana asked in little more than a whisper.

"Shep…you didn't." He looked down at her in awe. When she nodded, he picked her up, crushed her to him and spun her around. He dropped a forehead to hers. He released her and treated his lifemate to a searing kiss.

The couple grabbed hands and tore off to explore their new home. Live plants and trees grew up the walls, soothing water trickled over rocks. Two rounded staircases led to an upper floor where the master bedroom and an exercise room were located. The closets in the master bedroom were filled with new clothing for both of them. Clothes for every occasion. There were two bathrooms, one in the master that had a massive hot tub and one down stairs that just had a shower. The kitchen had nearly every appliance imaginable and a connected dining room. Vid screens of various sizes adorned every room. There was an entertainment room with a bar and a billiards table with a library and office connected to it. There was a massive living room in the front. The long hall that led from the main door of their home to its inner sanctum was set up to be used as an electronic firing range like they had on the ship. Complete with a small closet that stored several artificial guns.

Garrus was floored. The kids were not aware of the massive amounts of money their new home cost, but he could hazard a pretty good estimate. The lower levels were immensely expensive and only purchasable to dignitaries, ambassadors and other top ranking officials.

"How?" Was all Garrus could say.

"Money just falls in my lap," she said with a shrug.

Garrus nodded, he'd seen money do just that on many, many occasions. He just hadn't realized how much of it she'd accrued.

"I would have bought us one too…but we rarely leave the ship." She paused a moment and wrapped her arms around him. "Someday I want us to have a home of our own."

When the young couple returned, excitement danced in their eyes.

"Spirits, Shep…you've thought of everything! The kitchen is even filled with levo and dextro foods. We can have the grandest parties!" Then she looked uncertain. "You don't mind if I call you Shep, do you? Or do you want me to call you sis? Arianna?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Any of those are fine with me."

"Sis…I like that. Sis it is," she said her mandibles spreading wide.

"I've left any artwork desired up to you. There is money in an account for you, just comm the designer listed on the counter and he will set you up."

"Tour's over. Let's get your two asses down to Bailey before he thinks I kidnapped you."

Solana ran and grabbed the second key card from the counter and pocketed it. "Promise me if you are ever on the Citadel that you will stay with us. We won't take no as an answer."

"You got it, Solana."

When they got back down to Bailey's desk, they made their tearful goodbyes and she watched them walk away with a heavy heart. She already missed them terribly. Her husband hugged her close until she was able to rein in her pregnancy intensified emotions.

Hand in hand they walked back to the Normandy…each deep in their own thoughts.

Chapter 29

Zaeed: The Price of Revenge

She had just come back from rounds with her squad. She had told Garrus things would be different and she _was_ going to do things very differently this mission, because she'd had an uneasy feeling she just couldn't shake. She was not going to ignore it. She knew what she had to do.

"ETA to Zorya 17 minutes."

"Thank you, Joker."

"EDI notify Garrus, Miranda, Zaeed, Tali and Legion to gear up and meet me at the shuttle in 15." She said as she walked into her empty cabin. She didn't often take Miranda. Having both the CO and XO off the ship at the same time didn't sit well with her. But something told her to bring her and she listened. Garrus was usually at the forward batteries after their daily morning routine. Though he'd usually seek her out and they'd make a mad dash back to the cabin, peals of laughter often followed in their wake. He hadn't sought her out today and she was a little miffed.

She slid into an undersuit and was pulling on her armor when he made his way into their cabin.

"You are full of surprises, vela…Glad to hear I'll be joining the party." Garrus said as he helped her put on the rest of her armor and then turned her for a kiss.

"I nearly left you behind," she grumped.

"I do believe I feel a chill in the air," Garrus said as he was putting on his armor.

She gave him a hard look.

"I'll have to do something about that later," Garrus said, flapping his mandibles slowly at his wife.

A shiver went down her spine as her blood heated. Damn the man. He knew what that did to her. That was one of her non-tactile weaknesses…The butterfly wings. And worse, his sense of smell was better than hers. He could smell her desire. She couldn't hide it from him. She cleared her throat and turned away to snap on her guns.

He smiled triumphantly and snapped his own guns into place. He was uncomfortably hard as stone, because a drawback of smelling her desire was his immediate need to take advantage of it. But he did find that it was the fastest way out of the doghouse. So, it was well worth the discomfort.

They met up with the others at the shuttle. As the pilot took them in they went back over the mission. They needed to save the refinery and free the workers. Shepard got an uneasy feeling. Something wasn't right. Zaeed was keeping something from her and it didn't sit well.

When the shuttle dropped them off they looked around. Zorya, what they could see of it, was a lush, rich jungle planet. The scenery was broken by a tall, smoking refinery building in the background.

"I'm picking up blue suns transmissions. Stay tight and look out for ambushes." Zaeed informed them.

She kissed her husband for luck, his aura was almost always the brightest; whenever she asked him about it he'd just give her a secretive smile and tell her he didn't know what she was talking about. They began to track a path that led through the jungle.

"Squad Bravo…a shuttle landed near your location. Check it out." The message was broadcasted over Zaeed's omni-tool. She was thankful he was linked in to their communications. She had Legion hack into it too, she was going to be placing enough of a demand on her OTs as it was. She released Grim.

They could make out something obstructing the path in the distance. "Here we go…keep close." Zaeed told them. As they approached they could make out dead bodies. Zaeed looked down disgusted. "Shot in the back and left to rot. That's definitely Vido's style. Let's push ahead."

As they continued pushing down the twisted path, monkey like creatures, which Legion informed them were pyjaks, darted around them…and finally gave a face to one of Wrex's favorite expletives. She'd seen them before, but no one had ever told her what they were and she hadn't cared enough to look into it.

"Command to Bravo…take the position. Likely these people are not runaways."

The rocky, tree laden path continued to twist as they advanced.

"Report to Base…armed intruders coming at the southern checkpoint!"

As they rounded the corner bullets started flying at them. She ordered them to fan out and stick to cover. She noted Garrus remained at her side. Men and their need to protect helpless women. He should know by now that she was not so helpless…

Rockets began joining the bullets. She focused on those. She took one out on a catwalk over head. She jumped, the disks slipped out of her boots, she slammed into a merc, sent him flying and ducked behind cover. Garrus overloaded a shielded merc. He darted behind her cover gave her a fast kiss and leapt up, blowing a hole through the head of an advancing merc. Between the six of them, Grim and the two drones, the mercs went down fast. She wove her way through the catwalk girders and picked up a medigel from a med-kit.

"Reinforcements incoming…we got your backs." Thank god for their generous notices. They kept wary and made their way to take cover behind a truck. Mech dogs. Great. She sent an overload chain charge at the dog and blew its twitching handler to hell.

The enemy was entrenched behind cover. She raised her hand and sent an amped sonic blast that tossed several mercs into the air and ducked down as a rocket nearly took her shields. The two drones continued to harass hiding mercs, forcing them out of cover. Grim kept to his grisly work of blinding and maiming anyone unfortunate enough to catch his notice.

"Protocol four deploy for back-up fire!"

Legion's massive gun blew the head and shoulders off a merc launching rockets. His body flew in different directions. That was incredible. She wasn't a fan of single shot guns…but the raw power…damn.

"They're getting torn to shreds out there!"

You bet, sunshine. They were concentrating on the mercs, taking them down in waves. A merc dog had managed to flank them and gave her a solid zap. Shit. She shook it off, flung up her hand and tossed it into a huge boulder with a sonic blast. Garrus put a bullet into it. "Are you okay?"

"Reports coming in of a death drone. Keep your eyes peeled and take that fucker out!"

She bit her cheek when she heard Garrus choke over a laugh. Death drone? Well, she did name him Grim for a reason. "Of course…damn things are hard to keep track of…they're so low to the bloody ground." Another rocket launched at them from a catwalk and Legion took him down.

"All squads fall back!"

When no more mercs fired at them they met up at the path's end. Shepard began to extend the bridge.

"This is Commander Santiago. If any of you retreat while the intruders are still alive, I will kill you myself. Now get the hell back out there!"

Zaeed glanced over at her, held his hand up and nodded. He looked like he wanted to say something to her, so she halted the bridge's advancement.

"Vido, it sounds like he hasn't changed."

"I get the feeling you have a past with this Vido?"

"I knew he was a sadistic bastard when we started the blue suns. The suns only got meaner after he staged his coup twenty years ago. So, yeah. We have a past."

"I was unaware you started the blue suns."

"Because it's not common knowledge. Vido wiped me out of the records. He ran the books. I led the men. Worked real well for awhile. Then Vido decides to start hiring batarians. Cheaper labor, he said. Goddamn terrorists, I said."

"How'd he force you out?"

"He turned my men against me!" He stepped towards her and pointed a finger at her, his voice rising. "He paid six of my men to restrain me!"

"Back off, Zaeed," Garrus said, cocking his gun.

A chill went down Zaeed's spine. He held his hands up and backed away. "Vido blew a hole in my head." He pointed at the scarred side of his face and damaged eye. "He left me to die. For twenty years I've seen that bastard, every time I closed my eyes. Every time I sighted down on a target. Every time I heard a gunshot."

"You survived a gunshot to the head?"

"Yeah. And you survived your ship getting disintegrated. A stubborn enough person can survive just about anything. Rage is a hell of an anesthetic."

She nodded to him. She still didn't like him, but she understood him better. That didn't, however, stop the niggle at the back of her mind. She knew he was still hiding something. "We better get moving." She continued the bridge's extension.

"They're at the southern access. All squads mass at the gatehouse! Now!"

"They know we're here. Bring it on you son of a bitch!" Zaeed shouted.

They worked their way along the turns of the catwalk.

"Squads Delta, Charlie. Mass at the gatehouse!"

As they moved off the catwalk she nabbed some Palladium and continued to the gatehouse door. When it opened they were greeted by Vido himself. "Zaeed Massani, you finally managed to track me down."

"Vido," Zaeed said as he reached back for his gun.

"Don't be stupid, Zaeed. I have a whole company of bloodthirsty bastards behind me, ready to kill or be killed on my command. Actually, take your shot. Give my men a reason to put you down like the mad dog you are. Again."

Zaeed ran across the floor, firing at the men up on the catwalk. A bullet hit a pipe, sending vapor into the air. "What was that? Gone nearsighted, old friend?"

Zaeed turned to face him. "Burn, you son of a bitch!" He fired again at the pipe, causing an explosion.

"Cover!" Shepard yelled as she ducked behind the closest cover she could find.

Vido leaned over the railing. "You just signed your death warrant, Massani!" Then he turned and left, leaving his men to cover his ass.

Zaeed began beating the butt of his gun against a pipe valve.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shepard demanded.

The refinery began to shake, explosions rocked the plant.

"Opening the gate."

Damn the ass-weasel! She was pissed and itching to put a boot up his ass. She charged up to him. "We don't sacrifice lives for the sake of the mission. There's always a better way."

"Like what, wandering through the jungle for hours looking for another way in? You want to waste time out here go ahead. I'm going to kill Vido."

She raised her hand, fired a light sonic blast that threw him against the wall. "You're endangering lives…and the mission…for your own selfish revenge!"

"You really want to do this Shepard?" Zaeed said aggressively.

"Watch your tongue before I remove it," Garrus cocked his gun.

"I ought to drop your ass off the cliff…but thanks to you we have a burning refinery to save."

"Let these people burn, Vido dies…whatever the cost!" Zaeed said, waving a hand at her in disgust.

Shepard let off another light sonic blast of energy and tossed him against the wall again.

"Will you stop doing that!" Zaeed said bitterly as he picked himself up off the ground. He made careful note that Garrus still had his gun trained on him with the deadliest look he'd ever seen.

"You must realize by now that it is unhealthy to talk to my wife like that." Garrus warned him. "Consider yourself lucky she tossed you on your ass, because I was just about to put another hole in it."

Zaeed gave a slight nod. Not that he agreed, but that he understood the situation he was in.

They moved out into the refinery. Three mercs opened fire on them. She fired an amped sonic blast that propelled them over the railing to the floor below. Chunks of the catwalk exploded beneath their feet as they made their way across. She picked up some more Palladium. As the door in front of them opened a man darted out on the platform above.

"Help! We're trapped in here! We can't get to the gas valves to shut them off!" The man looked around frantically, wringing his hands in agitation. "The whole place is going to blow!"

"No time. Vido's probably half way to the shuttle docks by now."

"You're willing to watch these people die?"

"Damn right I am. We stop to help these people and Vido gets away. If he gets away, I'm blaming you."

"Vido was never the mission. The mission you gave me…the mission I agreed to was saving the refinery and the people. Nothing more. This is not your call, Zaeed." She grabbed him by the front of his armor and pulled him in. "We're saving these people."

Zaeed looked from her to Garrus, and rubbed at the sore spot she'd given him. "I knew this was a mistake. If we're going to this, we better get to it."

As soon as he capitulated she nodded. She didn't want Vido to get away either, but what she had needed was for Zaeed to acknowledge her right of command. Now that he had submitted she turned to Miranda. "Miranda I want you and Tali to go after Vido with Zaeed. Garrus, Legion and I will help free the trapped workers."

Miranda gave her an incredulous look.

She walked over to her and put a hand on her arm. "I don't want Vido getting away either. This is why I took so many with me this time. I knew there was a reason. This is it. You are second in command, a leader. I need you to keep rein over him. I was not willing to alter the mission until he gave in to my command."

Miranda gave her a nod. "Absolutely, Commander. My pleasure."

"Come on, Zaeed. Let's go get your man. Just so you know…you will follow my lead. I am in command of this team," Miranda said in all her arrogant glory.

She watched them go for a minute and then jumped the railing to the walkway below and headed down into the refinery. The walkway continued to explode under their feet. She felt a section give way beneath her feet, but before she could activate her boots, Garrus had pulled her safely to him. She gave him a sultry wink before moving out. She hacked through a door and they were in. Now to find the gas valves.

She followed the stairs up. Overheated pipes exploded all around them. When she opened the next door a wave of flame shot out, singeing them. Damn that was hot. She darted in as soon as it cleared enough for them to pass. She spotted a console and redirected the gas flow. They made their way up the stairs as fast as the explosions let them. She located a second console, rerouted the flow and continued up the stairs. Her lootdar went off and she scavenged some credits someone had stashed in a pipe. Odd place to hide money. She shook her head and continued the trek up.

"The extinguishing system is upstairs!" One of the workers yelled out to her. "The doors won't open until the fire's out!" Another screamed out, "We're going to die!" "No," assured another. "They'll save us, I know it!"

She rerouted the gas on a third console and hit the stairs again. Nothing like a good ass workout. At the top of the stairs she looped around a fallen beam and passed through into a small room. The first console had some research she uploaded, the second console set off the sprinkler system that began to put the fires out immediately.

They exited out the back door of the room and across a cat walk. Down below she could see the cheering workers dashing out of the room on their way to safety. She smiled at Garrus. Now to try to make their way out to the second team.

At the bottom of the stairs they entered another room. Noticing a break in the catwalk railing she jumped, the disks slid out of her boots, she hooked an arm around her husband and Legion and lowered them all to the floor below. They could have just jumped down onto the stacked crates, but she had needed to test her ability to carry multiple subjects. She noticed a firestorm on the ground next to the pipe crushed body of a merc. Not a big fan of that weapon, so she skirted around it and headed through a doorway on the side. Two suns mercs opened fire on them. Literally. One held another firestorm. "Stay back , Grim!" She pulled off her Arc Projector and hit them with a massive jolt. Easy-Peasy. Another several thousand credits jumped into her pocket and she picked up some more ammo for her Arc Projector. Nice.

They headed through a far door and into a pipe filled room. Lots of cover…but, by the looks of it, lots of things that would explode as well.

"The first person who brings me Massani's head gets something special in their paycheck," Vido said over Legion's connection. Apparently, the men had not gotten to him yet.

Vido chuckled. "You brought Shepard with you and still you don't have a chance. I took your blue suns, I took your life. Now I will take it again."

He don't know me very well, do he? We'll see who had the last laugh, Vido. You're about to be caught in a pincer.

"Vido, stop hiding behind these men and come fight me!" Zaeed yelled out.

"Say your goddamned prayers, Massani!"

She shook her head. Men and their posturing theatrics...

Mercs poured in from two sides of the room. Shooting both bullets and fire. She briefly exchanged her Arc for her Mattock and shot down a massive, flammable container over the tops of some merc heads. She took her Arc back in hand and shot massive jolts into anything that moved. A huge YMIR began to unfold and she sent several jolts into it. It was down before it could ever rise. She loved firing the Arc at mercs shooting fire. They blew up so sweetly. This was absolutely her favorite heavy weapon. She rarely ever packed anything else. She switched to her Mattock and took down the second flammable container, taking out the last set of mercs she could find on her scanner.

With the scanner clear, she headed through the two doors the mercs had come out of. Her lootdar located 12,000 more credits. Nice. With as much as she'd been spending lately, her coffers were lighter than she liked.

Shepard heard a massive explosion. She flipped on her omni-tool. "Team two! Are you okay?"

"Fine, Commander. Vido's down. Zaeed went a little…overboard."

They continued to the rear door. Team two was coming in.

Garrus picked her up, whirled her around and planted a big one on her.

"Ah, ain't that sweet. Get a room you two," Zaeed grumbled.

"My thoughts exactly," Garrus said. "Let's get out of here."

When she was back on the Normandy she hit up the terminal in her room. One particular email caught her interest. Shepard beamed a smile at her husband. "I just received a message from Solana. They should be graduating next week. Fastest two to ever make it through the academy. I'm so proud of them." She might have had to pull some strings…but they had to do the work.

"Why do they always write you?" Garrus grumped after he'd picked his wits up off the floor.

"I'm sweet and lovable."

"More like the eye of the hurricane."

"Doghouse, Garrus."

Garrus pulled her into his arms hummed, purred and gently fluttered his mandibles against her cheek. He had no intention of staying there long, if he had anything to say about it.

**Chapter 30**

**The Grey Box**

Shepard left the cargo hangar with a huge chip on her shoulders. The double edge sword had a nasty bite. An Alliance colony on Watson had come under attack by batarian radicals. They had launched their own moon based defense missiles at the colony. By the time they had reached Franklin, the moon outpost, and defeated the batarians within, only one viable kill switch had remained executable. She saved the residential district but the space port and its workers were destroyed.

Garrus and Samara had been with her. She wasn't sure why Samara's aura had been brighter than usual. They hadn't gotten to Morinth yet, but it was nice to have her friend along for a change. They were doing their best to cheer her up, but not being able to save everyone was always a sore spot with her, no matter how irrational that was.

Normally, at times like this she would get drunk off her ass, until she didn't care anymore. Now that she was pregnant that was no longer an option and it rankled a bit. Garrus, sweetheart that he was, offered to get drunk enough for the both of them…but that didn't go over too well with her. He was back in the doghouse. Wanting to get back in her good graces, he did what any good dog will do. He licked her. And she forgave him. Then she forgot about everything else and melted into a puddle that her husband was eager to swim in. Thank god there was more than one way to ease your sorrows.

They chose to stay in the rest of the evening. They lay around naked, watching vids, pigging out, and making love until exhaustion overtook them.

With the morning routine completed and an enjoyable shower later, they made their way down to the firing range. They linked their units to broaden the playing field and she programmed batarian mercs with a volcanic moon background. She had as much fun shooting them as tossing them in the lava with sonic blasts and watching them sizzle and pop. It was very gratifying.

When they left the firing range they went their own ways as duty called. She made her rounds, talking with her crew and squad mates. She was pleased to see Ken and Gabby were a solid couple. They'd been virtually inseparable since the dance. Speaking of dancing, she was having Samara teach her a seductive asari number. She didn't quite have the hang of it yet, and they spent a lot of time laughing at her blunders. It was nice to see Samara cut loose. She was reserved by nature and Shepard loved the challenge of pulling her out of it. Seeing her eyes light up was worth the effort. Learning the dance had actually been more for Samara's benefit than her own.

On the way to her cabin, Joker informed her that ETA to Bekenstein was in 21 minutes.

When she arrived she pulled on her newly tailored black leather mini-dress with an attached platinum choker and a pair of small black pumps. She'd had the dress altered to allow for her belly ring to be displayed. She chose a black onyx rose.

Garrus walked into the cabin. "I heard Joker's ETA; he looked her over slowly from head to toe. "You look good enough to eat."

Shepard blushed. "You are just never going to let me live that down."

"Not for a minute. …and as much as it pains me…there is no time for that." The smell of her desire and pheromones hit him like a sledgehammer. He took another deep breath and began to rumble. "Spirits, you smell good, vela." Garrus tugged her to him for a steamy kiss and then pulled back. "Any chance I can go too?"

"Not even remotely. I'm not about to bring archangel into a pit of vipers with me. Besides, we are too well known together, I don't want anyone to put our faces together and figure out who I really am."

Garrus dropped his head a moment and then looked at her. "I don't like it, but I understand."

Garrus grabbed her armor, she grabbed her guns and they hopped the elevator down to the cargo hangar.

Garrus looked up at the huge Saren statue and shuddered. He would kill the man again if he could. They stored her armor and weapons next to Kasumi's and closed the base of the statue.

A courier ship arrived on schedule and hooked up with the Normandy to take possession of the statue. The Normandy could not risk detection, so stayed well away from Bekenstein. When the statue was on its way to the planet below, Shepard gave Garrus another brief hug and kiss and boarded the shuttle behind Kasumi.

The pilot dropped them off at the space port and they rented a sky car in Gunn's name to take them to Hock's estate. Kasumi went back over the last minute details. She reminded Shepard to make sure she introduced herself as Allison Gunn. Kasumi had given Shepard's alias quite the reputation and even a few mentions in Badass Weekly. She was head of a talented band of mercs out in the Terminus Systems.

"Hock is throwing a party for his closest friends. A few dozen of the worst liars, cheaters and mass murderers you will ever want to meet. All bringing gifts as tribute for the man himself. Hence our statue of Saren. You can keep your pistol. They won't hassle you over a sidearm."

"Once inside, we'll make our way to Hock's vault door, somewhere in the back of the ballroom. Then we case security. Our statue should be there, so you can arm up when the time comes. Then we just waltz into the vault and take back Keiji's greybox. And I'll finally get the chance to say goodbye."

"I'm glad we are able to do this for you. Hock has no right to whatever's in that greybox."

"It contains priceless, personal memories. It's all that remains of who he was." Kasumi said solemnly, hanging her head for a brief moment. "But the secret he discovered is dangerous. I wouldn't bring you here if it wasn't. It holds everything, from all the plans and codes he stole to our private time together…wrapped up in those memories is the secret he discovered. Keiji never told me what it was, but the information got him killed."

"Okay, let's go see what trouble we can get into."

"Sounds like a plan, Shep…This is our stop," Kasumi said as she settled the car down in front of Hock's estate.

She looked around; it was a huge, massive estate. She saw their statue being unloaded from one of the courier's ground trucks.

Kasumi put her arm out. "After you, Ms. Gunn."

"A moment. You are my good luck giver today, Kasumi. Will you grant me a kiss?"

"Pucker up...Shep." Kasumi fish lipped her mouth in an exaggerated kissing pose.

Shepard leaned in and placed a soft kiss against her puckered lips. "Ok...Lena Hyena...I have to admit, you are the only person who has ever given me the fish lips."

"Lena Hyena?" A very puzzled expression settled over Kasumi's face.

"Sorry, old earth vid reference. That's a vid we're going to have to watch."

Kasumi just rolled her eyes. When they headed to the door a security guard stopped them. "Just a moment ma'am, there seems to be an issue with the statue."

Donovan Hock came down the steps towards them. He turned to his security guard. "Is there a problem here?"

"No, Mr. Hock, just doing a scan." The guard replied as he continued to scan the statue.

"I don't believe we've met. Donovan Hock," Hock said, turning to his guests.

"We've heard a lot about you. Name's Allison Gunn."

"And I've heard a lot about you. You've been very busy lately…if the extranet is to be believed. You look a little….soft for our line of work. But then looks can be deceiving…and deception is part of the game, is it not?" he said with a slight bow.

Why, yes it is, Mr. Hock and it is you being deceived now. Shepard mused.

"Sir…the scanners aren't picking _anything_ up," the guard interrupted.

Hock stared intently at the statue for a moment. "Hmmm." He paused. "I don't think our guests would come all the way from Illium just to cause trouble. Do you?"

The guard shrugged and Hock shook his head. "You may pass through, Ms. Gunn, with my apologies. But I will ask your companion to remain outside. You understand, I hope."

"You're the host."

Hock nodded, "Enjoy the party," he said as he dismissed them and returned to other guests.

Kasumi waved them over. "Well, that didn't go as planned."

"Any idea why he would send you away?"

"No. We've never seen each other in person. And no one knows what I look like."

"I can stay connected via OT and you can walk me through everything if need be."

"No need for that," Kasumi said with a grin. We'll go on with the plan. You'll just have to do all the talking. I'll stay out of sight. We'll keep our comms open in case something goes wrong," she said as she synced up all of their omni-tools. Kasumi activated her cloak and faded into the scenery.

"I so wish I could go dark with you…it's much more fun sneaking around," she said as they walked into Hock's home.

"You are probably the strongest person alive…do you really need to disappear too?"

"But think of all I could do!"

"You mean all the trouble you could get into?" Kasumi asked.

"I don't get into trouble….much….Well, I don't go looking for it."

"It just has a way of finding you, Shep. We need to find the door and case the security."

They made their way slowly through the rooms. Her omni-tool recording all the faces and conversation bits they overheard as they moved past.

"Shep," Kasumi whispered. "What are you doing?"

"Making a recording to send back to the Alliance and Council. Damn." She tapped her wrist and then brought it to her mouth. "Grim, come out camouflaged and record everything." She released him to go about his business. "There, I'm letting Grim do the recording, safer that way. But rest assured, I'm not going to go archangel and take down all these people myself; I don't have time for that right now….but earworms in the right ears can move mountains," She whispered to Kasumi.

She completed the tour of the left side of the room and walked out onto the wrap-around balcony. On a balcony seat, Shepard picked up a datapad with a security communication log.

"Chief Roe, huh? She sounds like a hard ass. If we can sneak into security, I can probably use this information."

She followed the balcony around and entered back into the house through the opposite door. She noticed a stairwell leading to a lower level and took it.

"This is it!" Kasumi said with excitement. "Very nice. There's more here than I expected," Kasumi admitted as they entered the chamber that led to the vault.

Shepard looked up into Saren's face, remembering what it felt like to be dangled over the waterfall. She shivered at the memory.

Kasumi moved around the room, looking over the security details. "Password protected voice lock, kinetic barrier, DNA scanner…looks like an EX-700 series. Impressive. Everything a vault needs to be impenetrable."

"Do you need my help with the penetration?" Shepard wrinkled her brow, that sounded all kinds of wrong.

"Please, Shep…have a little faith. Remember who you're talking to. We'll need to get a voice sample, find the password, find the power supply to the barrier and collect his DNA – child's play. His private rooms should net us plenty. Keiji could get through a system like this in his sleep….and I'm better."

As she left the room, she found the barrier's power cables. She set her omni-tool to scan for electronic fields so she could follow the underground cables. She made her way through the right side of the room, and then she turned to follow the cables around the ball room to the location source and let Kasumi disabled the power.

She had passed a locked room on her way to the power source, so they returned. Kasumi hacked the door. Shepard fired an overload chain at the two security guards. She skirted around them, lifted a crap load of credits from Hock's safe, and found the password they would need for the vault. "The password is Peruggia."

"Nice." Kasumi said with a smile. "That's the man that stole the Mona Lisa."

Kasumi created a link through the security feeds that would route and incoming calls for Chief Roe to her omni-tool, she had a feeling they would be needing it.

Before they left Kasumi knifed both men in the back and they fell silently to the ground.

Once out of the security quarters she made her way to Hock.

Ms. Gunn…I hope you are enjoying the party. I hope that scene at the door hasn't soured your evening," Hock said as he shook her hand.

"There's always someone gunning for people like us." She was nothing like Hock. But she was squarely at the top of a lot of people's shit lists.

"Hah, yes. That's true. I'm glad you understand."

"I'm surprised your security isn't tighter. It's a ballsy move, opening your front door like this," Shepard said looking around.

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Hopefully, it sends the message that I don't fear anyone stupid enough to step up to me." Hock began a grandiose speech on how the deeds they all did kept the galaxy running. His delusions were astounding and she had an earworm with his name on it.

She returned to the right side of the room where she had noted a guard standing watch over a door. He had told her these were Hock's private chambers and she was not allowed to enter. When she explained that Chief Roe had given her permission, he commed the Chief to verify. Kasumi, the pseudo-Chief, blasted him a new one and he apologized and allowed them entry into Hock's private quarters.

She followed the stairs down to an unlocked door. Wow. His rooms were as opulent and grandiose as he was. Between the two of them they were able to gather enough usable DNA. Just for grins and giggles…and the credits didn't hurt either…she hacked into Hock's personal safe and cleaned it out. Done and done.

They left his quarters and returned to the vault room. While she armored up, Kasumi used what they had gathered to crack the security. Once inside the vault she whispered into her OT. She wanted to make sure Grim recorded the artwork, because she knew there were several pieces he was not supposed to have. She hated bugs in general, but she was fond of the destruction a nice, fat earworm could cause.

"Wow. This is the Kasa Locust. The gun that killed two presidents. And it has an exact copy. I'm sure Hock won't mind if we borrow these."

Shepard snapped it to her hip. She didn't use SMGs anymore, but it was too nice a find to pass up.

"Oh my god. There it is," Kasumi said, when she found Keiji's grey box. She flipped on her omni-tool and began uploading its contents."

"Don't bother miss Goto, it's code locked." Spoke Hock's massive hologrammed face. "I had a feeling that was you at the door. I knew if it was really you, you'd get through anyway."

"You know me…I don't like to disappoint."

"I need what's in your greybox, Kasumi. You know I'm willing to kill you for it. I'll admit your skills are impressive. You got into my vault like I'd left it open, but you're still going to die screaming, like your friend did."

Shepard put her hand over her mouth and yawned. She took the pistol from her side and blew the nearest treasure to bits.

"Noooo!" Hock screamed.

"Have I got your attention?" Shepard asked.

"Hah! That shut him up, Shep."

Kassumi's omni-tool beeped, upload complete.

"Kill them!" Hock shouted.

She had to admit they really tried. One tricky bitch engineer was a pain in the ass to take down. She was thankful Grim was quick to jump in the fray. He materialized in front of the engineer and sprayed acid in her eyes. A blind engineer isn't much good, but her drone was still irritating as hell. She put a bullet between the engineer's sightless eyes. The fight was a tediously slow cat and mouse game. She certainly preferred having more than one team mate. But she was losing patience fast. She jumped, the disks slid out of her boots and she darted around the room, Her OTs humming as she shot Incendiary blasts followed by Cryo blasts at anything that moved, shattered merc pieces littered the floor.

"Checking blueprints." Kasumi said when the last one fell. "There's a landing pad to the east. Let's get out of here."

Shepard notified the Normandy the coordinates to send a shuttle.

When they entered into the next room they were fired on immediately. Shepard darted behind some containers next to a large tank. She fired off amped overload charges, because twitching bodies made for easy targets. Since there were so many enemies she switched to her Arc gun. It left her out in the open longer, but took down several at one time. A huge YMIR entered into the fray. She slammed it with an amped incendiary blast and then zapped it with her Arc.

"They've left the vault. Seal them in!" Hock ordered.

"Damn it! We have to find another way!"

"This way!" Shepard yelled as she turned to the right and headed up the stairs to an unlocked door. At the top of the stairs she hacked a datapad for some credits and entered through the door. They rounded the corner and ducked behind some barrels.

Mercs popped up from the bed of a truck and fired until their guns were emptied. They ducked out of sight to reload and new mercs jumped up to take their place. Nice teamwork on their part…but won't change the outcome one bit. When her scanner showed clear, she rounded the barrels and took in the room. She saw a missile loaded tank and a wicked smile spread across her face.

"What are you going, Shep?"

"Making us a way out."

She grabbed some credits from a locker, some platinum just lying around and jumped up to the tank, armed the missile and fired it. It slammed into the wall, detonated with a massive force that shook the building.

"That kicks ass, Shep. Garrus will be sorry he missed out on it."

"He might have missed out on it, but he can watch it!" Grim said spinning around in glee.

"What the hell are you people doing down there?" Hock demanded.

Her lootdar led her to some credits stuffed in one of the deactivated mechs in a side room…people sure do hide things in the strangest places. Then she stepped through the massive hole in the wall.

"Kill Allison Gunn, bring the girl to me." Hock ordered.

She darted down behind some crates next to the wall and fired a few Arc charges into the oncoming horde. When the YMIR and mercs were down they proceeded forward slowly and carefully.

"Don't fight me, Kasumi. You know what happened to your boy-toy when he fought back," Hock taunted her.

A truck pulled up ahead filled with more mercs. She fired an amped overlaod chain, slammed them with a sonic blast and sent the mercs flying. Kasumi would dart in camouflaged, knife a merc in the back and disappear again. The hard part was to avoid shooting or firing tech blasts when she disappeared. It made fighting a wee bit of a pain. That's why she didn't go dark often; she didn't like to hinder her squadmates.

When their scanners were clear, she made a U-turn around the wall on their left, grabbed some medigel from a med-kit, some research off a dead merc at the top of the steps, and slipped through the door.

"Keep them busy, I'll take care of this myself," Hock informed his band of not so merry mercs.

The large room they had entered was for cargo sorting and loading. Mercs lined the floor and the platforms. Biotics, bullets and rockets were flying. She took cover behind some nearby barrels. With the first wave cleared out, they proceeded further into the cargo bay and dodged behind some crates when more mercs poured out from a side entry. A rocket took down her shields, she jumped, activated her boots and slammed into the rocket-man, shot him point blank before he hit the ground. Before she could get back into cover a shot to the abdomen bounced off her shields and a fury she'd never felt before ripped through her. She grabbed her bats, amped their charge, flicked her wrist, the incendiary whip coiled around the asari's neck and then she flicked the cryo whip, when it coiled around her neck too, she jerked her arms apart. The asari's neck shattered and her head flew a great distance before it hit the ground and exploded. A cold smile spread over her face.

She stood there shocked, horrified by what she'd done….horrified that she had felt pleasure in the act. Kasumi appeared at her side and pulled her down behind cover. "What you did….that was amazing, Shep."

"No, it wasn't, it was…horrifying. But it's more than the deed, Kasumi. I felt pleasure watching her die….and that is a line I never wanted to cross."

"We have all crossed that line, Shep. Right or wrong, it is a natural feeling when you are defending someone you love. You were defending your baby. I felt the same taking down anyone who went after Keiji. Garrus probably feels it all the time," she said with a chuckle. "Right now we need to focus on clearing out these mercs. So, how about we give them some hell?"

She gave her a nod and jumped back into the fray. She shot one unfortunate merc in both legs. She jumped, activated her boots, flew over to him and merged their auras. "Forgive me," she said somberly as she drained him. His body arched and twisted, a scream of nightmares echoed through the bay, blood pouring from every orifice. "Thank you. Sleep well," she told him as he hit the ground.

Mercs stared at her in horror and every weapon came to bear on her. She held out both arms, her OTs glowing bright as she sent amped overload charges at both groups of mercs. As they twitched helplessly, she amped her OTs until they glowed like beacons and fired a sonic blast that struck the mercs so hard that their bodies shattered against anything they slammed into. She scanned the room and could find no more enemy signatures.

"Ok, great…did you really need me at all for this mission, Shep?"

Shepard nodded. "Of course, I did. I never could have gotten into that vault without you. Let's move out."

Kasumi rolled her eyes. While the words mollified her, she knew in her heart Shepard could do anything she put her mind to.

They exited through the back hangar door, and entered a small control room that led to the landing deck. As they stepped out into the setting sunlight, they waited a brief moment for their eyes to adjust. A gunship flew overhead.

"Incoming! Get down!" Shepard ordered. They grabbed cover behind some conveniently stacked crates.

"You could have done this the easy way, Goto. Allow me to show you the hard way," Hock said as he rained more bullets at them.

Mercs began pouring in from the right. She fired a sonic blast at them sending them flying off the edge of the landing deck. A couple were lucky enough to have dodged the blast.

"Going dark." Kasumi said.

Damn. Now she had to wait to see what she was going to do. Kasumi struck the man in the left in the back and Shepard turned and blew the head off of the man on the right.

When the gunship lowered, more mercs poured in from the end of the deck in front of them. She pulled out her sniper and was able to nail a couple from a distance and then switched to her Mattock. One got too close, she fired a sonic blast…sent him flying and darted behind a truck.

Pleasantly polite mechs started marching towards them. That was great because they made easy targets, since they weren't concerned with taking cover, but it could also bite you in the ass if you weren't careful, because like the terminator, they just didn't stop coming.

When they finally got a moment to breathe, the gunship rose from the left along with another group of mercs on the ground.

"Gunship's back and with full shields."

"Not a problem. Distract the mercs, Grim! She lobbed a combat drone and tossed a turret out to help cover her ass.

More mercs and mechs stepped up to the plate…or onto the deck to be more precise. She amped her OTs and fired overload chains in two directions. She encased herself in a white, glowing barrier field, took a running leap and landed on some piping. "Going dark!" She faded to nothing, climbed up to the higher pipes and launched herself at the ship; the ship was just out of reach. The disks slipped out of her boots and she propelled herself at the gunship, landing on top of the front window as she came back into view.

Kasumi blinked. "Hey, Shep…I wanted to do that!"

"Spirits, No!" Garrus was receiving live feed from Grim. Grim was to obey him so long as it didn't countermand her orders. She'd never ordered Grim not to send him footage, so here he sat watching his wife take a flying leap directly at a hot gunship. He couldn't believe she would risk their family like that. His eyes were glued to the datapad. He watched her take down the shields, then the ship bucked and he watched his wife slide off the edge of it. His heart slammed painfully in his chest. She'd manage to grab hold of something allowing her to dangle precariously off the side of the gunship, which continued to try to shake her off. His eyes began to sting. He needed to blink, but he was afraid to take his eyes off the screen for even a second.

She shorted the kinetic-barrier shield capacitors; she tumbled down the side of the ship and grabbed hold of a crease in its armor plating. She hung on tight when the ship jerked and swung her body upwards, landing on the slanted hull of the rig. She activated her magboots and unsnapped her Viper. She had to give him credit; he tried everything he could think of to shake her off his ship. She poured modified, illegal armor piercing rounds into the tail fins, shearing them off. Then, for good measure, she put a couple into the eezo core. Time to go before she was blown to hell. She saluted Hock and flipped off the gunship. The disks slid out of her boots and she shot towards the hangar bay.

Kasumi glanced up at the gunship and Shepard when the mercs were down. She watched her fire bullets into the core. Damn…she wouldn't have thought to do that. But, then again, she was rather fond of staying alive. She hoped Garrus never learned about what Shep had done, he'd shit.

Garrus gripped the pad tighter as his anger all but exploded out of him, datapad shattered and the feed was lost. "Crap!" He jumped up and flipped on the large screen. When his wife came back into view, nearly life-sized, he realized how much worse the large screen made what he was seeing appear. He could see the expression on her face…on Hock's face. His finger twitched. He wanted to put a bullet between Hock's smug eyes so bad he could taste it. Ari was taking too damn many down the shields was one thing, but there had been no need for her to take her gun to the gunship, she could have done that, safe enough, from the ground.

"Very impressive, Miss Gunn….and even if you take down this gunship, I've got more. You can't win this, Kasumi." Hock taunted her while firing machine rounds at Gunn. "You should have died in the vault…now you will die in pieces."

She twisted in the air doing her best to avoid the bullet spray. She still felt too many bouncing off her barrier field; she poured more energy into it to strengthen the barrier as she dodged another bullet spray. The gunship was sputtering. She came to a stop and used her disks to spin her around. There was a moment of eerie silence and she found her gaze going to the cockpit. Her eyes locked onto Hock's. She blew him a kiss and waved. The airship, along with Donovan Hock, exploded into tiny fragments. "OH Shit!" She pivoted in the air, transferred all her remaining power into her disks and tried to make a fast get away. The concussive shockwave from the eezo core detonation blasted into her, her body contorted, her mouth opened in a scream as she was hurtled towards the ground.

Garrus began to shake. Fear gripped him in a vice and he fell to his knees, unable to blink, unable to look away. If this was it for them, he wanted to spend his every last moment with her. He wanted his wife to be the last thing he saw before they died.

She spun her body in an attempt to correct her trajectory and rode the powerful wave rather than trying to fight it. As she neared the ground she swung her legs down, using the disks to slow her descent. The disks slid back into her boots and she landed in a graceful squatting splits on the on the floor of the hangar rolled with the force of the concussion as it sideswiped her and unfolded into a stand.

"Show off!" Kasumi yelled. Vastly impressed, but horrified knowing how close her friend had come to death. "Next time you want to kiss the grim reaper, do me a favor and don't do it in front of me. You scared the hell out of me, Shep. You're lucky Garrus wasn't here to see that stunt."

"Believe me, I know," Shepard said quietly.

Garrus fell forward onto his hands, head hung low and wheezed in a harsh breath. He hadn't realized he'd been holding it. His head jerked back up when he heard more gunfire.

Grim darted to her side. "Ari, we need to talk…"

"Later, Grim…" she said, pointing at another wave of mechs and mercs that were coming at them from the right.

"Not again. Where the hell are they coming from?" Kasumi asked as she unsnapped her gun.

"Grim – give them hell!" She couldn't figure out why they would bother to keep fighting. They'd already lost.

"My pleasure, Ari." He camouflaged and reappeared in front of the mechs, spraying acid at their optical sensors.

She pulled her bats and amped them as they coiled at her feet. With quick flicks of her wrists they whistled as they sliced through the air, ripping the guns away from those she could reach. She fell back in a fighting stance and waited for their advancement.

The mercs looked at the scattered pieces of the downed gunship that littered the water and the hangar bay, the shattered mechs and bloodied corpses strewn about like a macabre masterpiece, they looked at the crackling whips that had already stripped the guns out of several hands and the stony, determined expression of the woman that wielded them. They looked at the drone that had already blinded their mechs. They looked at each other, dropped their guns, held their hands up and backed up slowly until they retreated completely from the hangar bay dock. Apparently, dead bosses don't pay well enough to die for. Who knew?

Garrus stood on shaky legs. Now that she was safe, raw, biting anger coursed through him, building in waves until it reached a crescendo. He was fit to explode and he knew it. He quickly changed into his workout gear and took the elevator down to the rec room. He ordered everyone out and told EDI to seal the door. He knew he had to work out some of his demons before confronting his wife.

They ignored the floundering, confused mechs and talked about everything that happened while they waited for extraction.

With the gunship down, the shuttle was able to come in for a pick up. On the way back to the Normandy, they pulled up the information from Keiji's greybox. His hologram and an assortment of pictures popped up. He'd left her a final message on his greybox. Knowing she wouldn't be seeing it unless he was dead. He explained how he'd made her a target and that he wanted her to destroy this information, because it was the only way he could protect her and the Alliance. Kasumi ran to his holo and hugged it. Unable to bear the thought of destroying the only thing left that she had of him.

Shepard walked over to her friend. "Kasumi, I know this is hard. I can empathize… Keeping this will not only put the Alliance in danger, but also your ability to move on. If you keep him so sharp and close that he cannot fade even a little…as a memory should, then your eyes will be closed to any future love. For you would have built him up so big, that no one could ever compare. He wanted you to do this for him. Ultimately, I will leave the decision up to you…but it was his last request and I think you should honor his wishes…" she paused briefly. "If it's easier, I will do it for you."

"I know…you're right," Kasumi said backing away…a tremor in her voice. "Just get it over with….please."

Shepard returned to the console and erased the files. Kasumi bowed her head in grief. The stars winked at them through the shuttle's virtual windows.

When the shuttle docked in the Normandy's belly, Shepard stepped out slowly. She was depleted and thoroughly exhausted. She had relied too heavily on her tech and needed to eat and rest, to give her body time to recharge. She looked around the hangar bay, but her husband was nowhere in sight. He was one person she could always count on to be there with open arms when she stepped off the shuttle.

Joker stepped out of the shuttle behind Kasumi. He watched Kasumi walk away, head down, lost in her own thoughts. Shepard came to a stop and just stood there. He could see the weariness and exhaustion in her posture, the dejection on her face when she realized her husband wasn't there. Joker wanted nothing more than to give Garrus a swift kick in the ass….if he could have done so without shattering a leg, that is. He had to know how much his presence meant to Shepard. He saw her head drop down and the deep, shuddering breath she took. She flipped on her OT and told Jacob to go to Kasumi, that she needed him even if she didn't know it. Even in the midst of her own hell her first thoughts were of everyone else and that was why they loved her, followed her, why they would willingly lay down their lives for her. He wanted to say something to her, to help her, but he was just no good at uplifting, sentimental shit. He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go eat, get some rest, Commander. You look like shit and you're moving worse that I do."

"You're right," she said quietly and slowly shambled to the elevator.

When she disappeared from sight, Joker flipped on his OT. "Garrus, I don't know what the hell you think you are doing, but your wife can barely put one foot in front of the other. She needed you and you weren't there."

"It's not your business, Joker, stay out of it." Garrus said coldly.

"You made it my business when I had to watch her crumble. Her body is wracked with exhaustion and pain. She had to deeply hurt a friend to keep the Alliance safe…she is about as low as I've ever seen her and when she discovered you weren't there she - " his voice cracked with emotion. Shit. Shit. Shit. He hated this. "If I could kick your ass from one end of the ship to the other, I would. That woman gives everything she is to everyone without a thought and you are the one person she relies on to give her the strength and support she needs to keep going. The fact that I even have to tell you that really pisses me off. I don't know what your malfunction is, but you need to get your head out of your ass, step up and be a man. Joker out!" Joker took a deep breath trying to calm himself. Damn stubborn, insensitive turian. He glanced around, but only noticed two people in the bay…and they were making a point to look anywhere but his direction. He needed to get back to the bridge before he did something stupid that ended up with him in the medbay.

Garrus had, at first, been furious at Joker's interference. Now, he was just stunned. He'd never heard Joker that angry before. Joker was a man that relied on sarcasm and wielded it well. But, he'd been right. For the first time since he'd claimed Ari as his mate he'd let her down…he hadn't had her back. Despite his anger, he should have been there for her. That it was Joker that called him out on it, just made it hit home all the harder. He popped up the holoscreen of his OT and located his wife. She was leaving the armory and heading towards the mess. He turned it off, removed his micro-foam pads and hurried to the elevator.

He rounded the corner as she was picking up a tray. He came up behind her, spun her around, removed the tray from her hands and enfolded her in his arms. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, vela. It won't happen again." When her arms slipped around him he could feel her utter lack of strength and when she began to tremble he put down the tray and picked her up, cradling her in his arms.

"You have a life, Garrus. I can't expect you to always be there," she said quietly.

"You are the most important thing in my life, vela. You always have been." He lowered his forehead to hers. When he felt the gentle pressure of her hand at the back of his neck he brought his mouth to hers, letting her decide the intensity of the kiss. He didn't want her to think he was pushing her when he knew how tired she was.

He carried her to the cabin, sat her down on the sofa and drew her bath. He programmed the temperature and added her favorite vanilla spice. When it started to foam he returned to her and helped her out of her undersuit. He picked her back up and settled her gently in the tub.

"I'm not completely helpless, lover."

"I know that. I could tell you I'm just making up for an oversight, but the real truth is I like to hold you, so let me."

"I might piss and moan about being treated like a helpless babe, but my guilty secret is I like it when you carry me. It makes me feel safe, cherished and protected." She made a sour face. "I don't particularly like that it makes me feel like that, but it always has."

"When you tell me your guilty little secrets it makes my heart go all aflutter. And that's _my_ guilty little secret. Turian hearts don't flutter." He chuckled. "Or if they did, they'd rather die than admit it."

She sank down into the hot water and moaned. Garrus wanted nothing more than to join her. The hardened tips of her breasts poked up out of the water, beckoning him. He itched to touch them, to wrap his tongue around them. He cleared his throat and stood up. I'll be right back with a platter of food from the mess."

She pulled up her long, dark auburn hair and coiled it into a bun, then stabbed through it with two six-inch long hair spikes to hold it in place. She didn't have the strength to deal with washing it right now. The steaming water soaked into her weary muscles, easing the pain.

She heard the door slide open and what sounded like a tray of food being set on the table. When he entered the bathroom he handed her a nutri-bac bar and gave her a dose of medigel. She grimaced and all but swallowed the bites of nutri-bac bar whole just so she didn't have to taste it. Though, she was far from full strength, she did feel better.

Garrus had every intention of discussing her little _stunt_, but he would wait until she was up to it. He removed his clothing and stepped in behind her. He pulled her back up against his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

She relaxed back against him with a sigh. She could feel his hardness against her lower back and rubbed against it. Then her eyes shot open. There was another hardness she didn't feel. She sat up and spun around, her hand going to the smoothed center of his chest plates, where his blade used to me. "Garrus," she said softly. "What have you done?"

He looked down at the small, white hand running the length of his chestplates. "I…umm…hmmm. I was tired of hurting you, vela. I saw the angry, red welts it left behind whenever we made love or when I held you. I know I've even drawn blood a few times when things have gotten a little, er…out of control. It's bothered me for a long time; I just didn't know there was anything I could do about it. And before you say anything, I did a lot of research. A lot. We are not born with it, as we mature the chestplates grow, pushing against each other until they grow outward with the pressure. If it once served a purpose for my people, it no longer does. I suppose if I were to fight naked it could have been used as another weapon, but naked is not exactly a preferred fighting tactic," he said with a sardonic lift of his mandibles.

"Garrus! I - "

He placed a talon over her lips to silence them. "It was no different than trimming my talons. It bled a bit, because I had Chakwas remove it in its entirety, rather than filing it down slowly. But with your cells and the medigel, it healed incredibly fast."

"Have you weakened your protection?" Concern laced every word.

"No," he said giving it a couple of solid thumps. "I am still well protected, but it won't hurt you anymore and I have the added benefit of feeling your touch so much better…and that I like very much." His chest rumbled and his mandibles fluttered.

"But, won't that affect your clothing and armor?"

"Yes, they are being refitted as we speak."

"What will the other turians think? I can't imagine self mutilation will go over to well."

He gave her a hard look and shook his head. "Spirits, vela. Why would you think that I'd even give a damn about what they think? The only thing I care about is what you think." He crushed her to him and gave her a heated kiss. "Well?" he asked thickly. "What do you think?"

She rubbed her breasts against his chestplates. She hated to admit it, but he was right. "It does feel better…I love being able to get closer to you. But you should be aware that the cellS may consider it damage and seek to repair it."

"They haven't yet, and if they do I will just keep it filed down like I do my talons. Will you stop worrying so much?" He nuzzled her neck, fluttered his mandibles gently against her and then ran his tongue slowly along the pulsing vein. She straddled his hips and he felt himself begin to breech her. "Ari – aaaahh," he groaned as he sank into her tight, hot sheath. "I didn't join you to make love to you; even I'm not _that_ insensitive. I joined you to hold you. You're too tired. You need to eat and sleep." But, Spirits, she felt so damned good.

"I am tired…so why don't I just drape myself over you like a blanket and you do all the work?" She squeezed her kegels to let him know how serious she was.

He gasped when he felt her muscles grip him tightly. "I'm surprisingly okay with that." His talons slid down her back and settled on her hips. The churning water slapped against the lip of the tub with each powerful thrust. Her soft moans feathered his ear canal, sending chills down his back. He growled in pleasure when he felt stinging nip of her teeth on his neck, followed by the caress of her tongue. When he felt her body stiffen, her muscles tighten, he drove into her more aggressively, each thrust harder and faster than the previous one. She arched back and cried out with the force of her release. He ran his tongue along the underside of her breast, trailed it upwards to flick the tight bud, and then wrapped his tongue around it, and gave it a squeeze, before following her over the edge with a harsh growl.

He scraped his teeth gently along the top of her shoulder before biting down and taking in her blood. His mandibles fluttered against her when he felt her answering bite. When the aftershocks ended and his shaft released her, he remained buried inside of her, holding her, until his shaft slipped from her sheath back into his own. He let the water out, hit the quick dry and laid her on their bed. He retrieved the tray of food, placed it between them and joined her on the bed. They fed each other until she fell asleep. He removed the tray, pulled her up against him and threw his leg over her thighs. Her soft snores lulled him into sleep.

Come morning he watched her as she slept, taking in the innocent beauty of the soft, relaxed lines of her face until her eyes fluttered open. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much. Thank you." She started to roll over and make a fast get away. He had that _you're in trouble_ look on his face. But Garrus' arm shot out, his hand settled like a gentle vice around her arm.

"Good, because we need to talk about that _stunt_ you pulled yesterday. What in the spirits' damned hell were you thinking?" He gave her a light shake, his eyes bored into hers, and his mandibles jerked up and down quickly in agitation. "What you did was reckless and irresponsible!"

"It was not. I never rush blindly into anything. I knew exactly what I was going to do and had worked out all the contingent, foreseeable variables. The only thing that surprised me was the drive core was not regulation…I should have had a lot more time to get away. And even that was a non-issue with all the upgrades my suit has."

"You can't continue taking all the risks yourself. Think of our baby! Kasumi was perfectly capable of taking down that gunship's shield and she isn't pregnant!"

"I don't know…the way she and Jacob have been acting, she could be pregnant."

"Shepard!" he said giving her another light shake for good measure. She could be so damned exasperating at times.

Oops, he never called her _Shepard_ anymore…perhaps now was not the best time for jokes. "You're right; Kasumi could have taken down the ship's shields – no doubt about it."

Garrus was shocked that she'd agreed with him so quickly. His eyes narrowed. "So, you agree that the risk you took was irresponsible…that Kasumi could have easily done the job."

"Yes and no. As I said, she could have done the job, but she would never have survived the trip back to the hangar bay dock. As soon as I made a jump for the ship, it backed away from the dock. No one could have made a jump like that. And the monsters gliding just below the surface of the water would have devoured her whole before I could have extracted her. There was no choice in the matter. The gunship's shields were auto-replenishing. We would never have been able to take it down, the shuttle could not fight it and the Normandy could not be seen here. Let me reiterate: I. Had. No. Choice. Zilch, zero, nada - "

He should have known the choice she made had been well thought out, he had just been too worried and scared shitless to see beyond the surface. His flexible mouthplates found her soft lips. His tongue slid into her mouth to silence her. He rolled her onto her back, slipped between her thighs and drove into her wet heat. Her moans were sweet music. His chest rumbled from the pleasure and he gave a soft growl when he felt her legs lock around his waist. He cried out when she merged them and made love to her like she was the most precious thing in the world to him, because she was.

**Chapter 31**

**Jack**

Kasumi was heartbroken over the loss of Keiji's files. It was like losing him all over again. She assured Shepard that she knew it had to be done and that she wasn't blaming her at all, but Shepard felt the weight of that decision anyway. She'd been spending more time with Kasumi, but she knew nothing she did could make up for the loss Kasumi was going through. Keiji might not have been Kasumi's lifemate, but it didn't make the love any less real. The loss was still hard to endure. But at least that chapter was finally closed and she could begin to heal, especially with Jacob there to put the pieces back together.

They were heading to Osun, in the Hourglass Nebula to pick up a convict Cerburus had already paid for. Little was known about the convict, except for the name Jack…Jack was reported to be a very powerful biotic. She was worried Jack was going to harder to handle than Zaeed, who she really didn't like on the best of days. He was a hard man….though he'd been easier to stomach since the death of Vido. But an actual, dangerous convict? She'd spent her career putting down criminals, not holding them to her bosom.

Shepard stared out the port lounge window at the stars streaming by like beams of light.

"Quit worrying so much. You don't have to always worry about everything. You know you can always toss Jack's ass in a stasis pod if he proves to be too big of a pain," Kasumi said with a chuckle.

Shepard spun around to face Kasumi, leaning her back against the cool permiglass. "Garrus told me something similar. He said I could toss him out the airlock. I think I like your solution better. Of course, I've not met him yet…my opinion could change."

Kasumi cocked her head and shook it. "Yes….cause I can really picture you doing that, Shep."

Shepard looked up for a moment, recalling the head she'd ripped off the asari merc. "I've come to realize…under the right circumstances, I'm capable of just about anything."

"Aren't we all, Shep…aren't we all."

"Want to watch a vid? I've been wanting to watch an old earth flick called, Star Wars."

Kasumi's eyes widened. "Don't you get enough of that in everyday life? Why would you ever want to watch a vid about it?"

"Because it's somebody else's life…somebody else's trials and tribulations. Not mine. Plus, it's always a hoot to see what people thought space would be like way back then."

"I suppose it's too much to hope that it's immersion?"

"Not a chance. Old style flat screen…but at least it's easier to watch…with immersion I'm trying to look all around me at the same time and I know I'm missing so much."

"But you can't _experience_ a flat screen. Ok, fine…but if I don't like it, we're doing something I want to do next."

"You got it."

"ETA to Purgatory 22 minutes, Commander."

Shepard sighed… "Thank you, Joker." She gave Kasumi an apologetic look. "Guess it'll wait…catch you later, Kasumi."

"EDI, have Legion wait for us at the airlock in 20."

"Affirmative, Shepard."

She made a quick round of all of her squadmates. It took a bit more time to check their auras in this manner, but she felt guilty taking them away from whatever they were doing, when Garrus nearly always shined the brightest.

As she walked into the cabin Garrus was already there waiting for her. Yep…he was the brightest. "How is it you always have such a bright aura? It's really not fair to the other squad mates."

"I really don't give a damn, vela." Garrus said in no uncertain terms as he was pulling on his armor.

"Brr…Garrus…that was cold."

"It wasn't meant to be. Look, I love you and I know I can defend you better than anyone else. Besides, the others probably prefer you taking me than dealing with me when you leave me behind."

"Touché." Shepard pulled out her armor. "EDI, tell Zaeed we move out in 10." Then, she stood up straight, eyes flew open and made a mad dash to the bathroom. She lifted the seat and fell to her knees in front of the toilet.

Garrus ran after her and dropped to her side, awkwardly pulling the hair back from her face as she heaved out what was left of her breakfast. He flushed the toilet for her.

Shepard continued to lay draped over the commode, trying to gather her strength.

"What happened? Are you sick, vela?" Garris asked in agitated worry.

"No, it's the pregnancy. Women often get sick in the first trimester."

"Then I'm surprised you haven't been sick before now."

"I have been," Shepard's voice echoed in the bowl. She sat up and Garrus gave her a hand. "You were always so busy; you just weren't around to see it."

"I should have been here. I'm sorry, vela. You shouldn't have had to go through it alone."

"I preferred it that way…it's gross," she said as she grabbed her toothbrush and began to scrub away the foul taste. She doused her mouth with antiseptic mouth spray, her eyes watering at the harsh, minty flavor.

When she moved from the sink Garrus pulled her into his arms and looked down into her eyes. "I'm going to be here more for you, vela. This is our ride. I want to be a part of all of it…the good and the bad. Though, I can't wait for the end of this trimester." His mouth found hers for a gentle kiss before he released her.

"You know…just for that…don't be surprised if I come running to you next time I feel the need to empty my belly." Shepard shot him a stern look and then burst out laughing when she saw his mandibles drop with his horrified expression. Priceless. She gave him a quick kiss and then started snapping on her armor.

"Just so you are aware, that rarely happens anymore. With any luck it won't happen again."

"Why don't you sit this one out, Shepard," Garrus was more than a little concerned.

Shepard spun around and leveled a cold stare at him. "You did not just say that to me."

Garrus winced. He really needed to talk someone…maybe Samara….about the dos and don'ts concerning pregnant women. "Shepard, your tech gets its energy from you. You just purged yourself of food. Your strength is not what it should be. I know getting Jack is a simple pick up mission, but I also know things rarely go as planned. You're pregnant. I love you and I'm worried."

"Be that as it may…I think, by now, that I am more than aware of what I can handle. I'll bring along a couple of nasty nutri-bac bars and if I have to I'll drain someone. I'm not coming at this blind. Nor will I be unprepared." She advanced on him and poked him on the chest. "You of all people should know me by now." Poke. "And do not _ever _think…" Poke. "…that because I'm pregnant…" Poke. "… I am incapable of doing something. I _know_ my body. I can _feel _my body. I can _feel_ the baby. I know _my_ limits." Poke. Poke. "Do _not_ think you know them for me."

Garrus blanched…he didn't recall her ever being so mad at him before. Not even when he knocked her on her ass when her shields went down. He pulled her stiff body into his arms. He brought the finger that had been poking him up to his firm, flexible mouth plates for a kiss. He was pretty sure she probably bruised it by poking his carapace. Then he touched the tip of his tongue to it, since his tongue was a lot softer than his mouth plates. He saw some of the hardness leave her eyes. "Vela, I'm a new husband, a new father. I'm not sure of all the rules. I know how capable you are. But the need in me to protect you…protect the baby is not something I can just shut off. You are my world and I already watched you die twice. So, maybe I do hold you tighter than you like, but I do so out of love. I love you beyond all reason." He said flapping his mandibles at her slowly. When her eyes softened further he ran his tongue over his bond mark and nipped it.

His purr sent a ripple of desire through her and she gasped. She ran her fingers up his sensitive neck skin and he shivered. She stood on tiptoe, yanked back on his head fringe and bit into his exposed neck. She licked the tiny drops of blood.

When he felt her bite he lost it. His purr intensified to a growl and he picked her up crushing her against him. His mouth, his tongue battled hers with aggressive sweeps and plunges. One hand locked around her waist to hold her off the ground, the other sought her heat through her undersuit. He rubbed and caressed the flesh that was hidden from him, her hips bucked against his hand as she moaned into his mouth. He needed more. Now.

"Shepard, I can sense the rise in temperature of both your erogenous zones. You may wish to keep in mind that we are arriving at Purgatory momentarily," EDI announced.

They groaned. Garrus shook his head, sighed, and released his wife. He backed off quickly and turned away, trying not to take very deep breaths. "Get your armor on wife, now…please," he said in a passion strangled voice.

Shepard took deep breaths to slow her wildly beating heart. She noticed Garrus was shaking as badly as she was and it wouldn't even need a spark to fan the flames burning through them. "EDI, scrub the air," she said as she fastened on the rest of her armor.

"Right away, Shepard."

With her scent contained inside her suit, the air scrubbing was able to work its magic and he was able to take deep breaths to calm himself and gave a sigh of relief.

"Damn you. It's frustrating that I can never stay mad at you. Not to mention, now I'm horny as hell…so let's get this over with, because my tongue wants to explore every inch of you," she said with a wicked smile before dashing out the door.

Garrus groaned when he felt his shaft harden painfully. The little minx.

The four of them waited patiently…more precisely, Legion waited patiently and the others fidgeted in the airlock, the sexual tension thick around them, while the Normandy docked with the Purgatory prison station.

Blue Suns. Just great, thought Shepard as she approached the guard waiting for them. Bet Zaeed Is loving this.

"Welcome aboard the Purgatory, Shepard. Your package is being prepped and you can claim it shortly. As this is a high security vessel, you need to relinquish your weapons before we proceed."

"That's just not going to happen. As a Spectre I don't have to relinquish my weapons to anyone. Ever," Shepard said, giving him a hard glare.

An older, bare-faced turian approached. "Everyone stand down. Commander, I'm warden Kuril and this is my ship. Your weapons will be returned on the way out. You must realize this is just standard procedure."

"Let me reiterate. You don't have the authority to take my weapons. I will not be relinquishing them. Have I made my intentions clear?"

Kuril gave her a long, hard look. One she refused to back down from. "Let them proceed. Our facility is more than secure enough to handle four armed guests. We're bringing Jack out of cryo. As soon as the funds clear, you can be on your way. If you'll follow me to out-processing for the pickup, Commander.'

"Let's go."

As they entered into the Warden Kuril pointed out different defenses and areas of the prison. "Cell block two," he said, and spun around briefly so he can look at them while he was talking, "As you can see…we keep tight control over the population." He continued to lead them and talk about his prison.

Through the windows they could see massive arms maneuvering prisoner chamber cells.

"Each prisoner's cell is a self-contained modular unit. I've blown a few out the airlock as an example. The ship is made up of thirty cell blocks, identical to this one. We house thousands of criminals. We can put the whole place in lock-down on a moment's notice. Nothing goes wrong here."

"What can you tell me about Jack?" Shepard asked.

Kuril turned around surprised that she knew nothing of Jack. "Jack is the meanest handful of violence I've ever encountered. Dangerous, crazy and very powerful. You'll see soon enough."

"How'd you end up running this ship?"

"I was in law enforcement on Palaven and got sick of seeing criminal escape out into the galaxy to carry on with their crimes. Bounty hunters aren't dependable."

"You're not hiring the right ones!" Zaeed said brusquely, offended by Kuril's words.

Kuril ignored the outburst. " Eventually, I hit upon this idea. Keep the criminals in space and the galaxy is a safer place."

"So you are doing this because you think it's necessary?"

"Every day I see the worst sapient life had to offer. Governments are soft, unwilling to make the hard choices. Someone had to stand up and make the galaxy safe."

"Maintaining a population this size in space can't be cheap."

"We can cut corners that governments can't. And each prisoner brings in a fee from his homeworld. These individuals are violent and their home planets pay well to keep them here."

"What happens if the homeworld doesn't want to pay?"

"We explain that we can't maintain the prisoner without their help. So, we'll be forced to release him back on his homeworld at an unspecified place and time.

"That's sounds a bit like extortion," Zaeed grumbled.

"An extortion racket, Kuril?" Garrus asked, shaking his head in disgust.

'You don't have to agree with my methods, but don't question my motives. These are despicable people and I'm keeping them locked up."

"Let's finish this."

"Organics resist attempts at incarceration," Legion stated.

"Have there been escape attempts?" Garrus asked as Kuril began to lead the way again.

"We're in space. They have nowhere to go…and they know it. But still, we exercise extreme caution."

Shepard came to a stop when she noticed two prisoners becoming aggressive on the cell block below. A barrier generator opened up and shot out two streams of energy that encased both prisoners in bubbles, forcing their separation.

"We have many ways to control the population," Kuril informed her.

"Impressive," Garrus acknowledged.

She nodded and resumed following Kuril. Her husband and Legion fell into step beside her. Zaeed at her back. She was beginning to feel an odd niggle. Niggles were never any good. She didn't like having them. She reached out and squeezed his hand. "I have a niggle," she said quietly. He stood up straighter and nodded. They were all on high alert now.

"I'm going to confirm that the funds from Cerberus have cleared. Out-processing is straight down this hallway," Kuril said to Shepard as he stopped and pointed them in the direction they would need to take. "Just keep going past the interrogation rooms and the super-max wing. He gave her calculated look and turned, walking in the opposite direction. "I'll catch up with you later…Shepard."

Garrus watched him walk away until the door closed behind him. They continued down the hall, because there was really no place else to go…but she could feel her niggle growing. Damned niggle. What she really wanted to do was get back to their cabin so she could feel something else growing…but that bloody niggle may just put her plans on hold longer…and that thought really pissed her off.

Garrus looked at her in concern. He could feel the distress coming off his wife in waves. Garrus reached out and pulled her to a stop. "What's the matter, vela?"

A turian guard that they had passed turned from the window he'd been gazing through to stare at the couple in shock. That a human was a turian's vela was nearly unheard of. What was even weirder was that the human was pretty, as far as humans go…but the turian had scars covering half his face. The turian shot him a cold look and he turned back to the window. Something about the look made him made him realize he wanted nothing to do with that pair.

Shepard pulled him in closer. "My niggle is growing. And damn it all…that's not what I want to feel growing right now," she said, giving him a hot look. "I'm getting the feeling that niggle is going to delay my plans and I'm pissed. Kuril's aura was dark and mottled…that usually means deception. Keep your eyes and ears open. Expect anything."

Now he was hard, horny and on edge. If anything screamed I'm itching for a fight…that did.

As the hallway turned to the right they could hear screams from a prisoner. She peered into the room and saw a guard repeated beating a man.

"No one walks away from torture unscathed. Not the prisoner and not the torturer. I've never found torture worth it in my books," Zaeed said in disgust.

Shepard cocked her eyebrow and gave Zaeed a thoughtful glance. When she'd met him he was beating the hell out of an unarmed batarian that could not defend himself, yet he was disparaging the treatment of this prisoner. She just couldn't figure him out.

"The subject will invent fiction it believes the interrogator desires. Data acquired will be invalid," Legion stated.

"Legion is correct. The prisoner would tell them anything they wanted to hear to get them to stop," Garrus said in agreement.

Shepard couldn't agree more with them. This was barbaric. She turned to the turian guard watching from the outside of the cell and with a few chosen words, she was able to convince him to call off the beating.

The prisoner in the next cell over proved to be very enlightening. They learned that the warden often sold cons to whichever buyer could pay the most. Essentially, the warden was a slaver. Good to know.

They proceeded through a door at the end of the hall, passed a hallway leading to the right and continued to a door that had the word Outprocessing near it. Good. We needed to wrap this up before the niggle sunk its teeth in deep.

As they entered a helpful worker told them outprocessing was through the door on the far side of the room. The further she moved towards the door the larger the niggle got. "My spidey sense is tingling."

Garrus looked at her in confusion….

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm sorry, Garrus. I'm an old earth movie nut. It means I can feel something big is about to happen. And by that I mean something bad."

Garrus shot a look at Legion then Zaeed, he gave them both a nod and they pulled their guns. She hit the door pad to open it.

"My apologies, Shepard. You're more valuable as a prisoner than a customer." Kuril's voice poured over a loud speaker. "Drop your weapons and proceed into this open cell. You will not be harmed."

"And there it is… the shoe… Do you _really_ think I'm going to do that? Me? A Spectre? Someone didn't do their homework," she said with a chuckle. "You are delusional, my friend. This is not going to play out like you'd hoped. You really shouldn't have delayed my plans and pissed me off. This isn't going to end well…for you." She released Grim and lobbed turret in the direction of the door.

"Activate systems!"

Armed guards and mech dogs began pouring into the room. They darted behind desks for cover. The turret belched fire and bullets at the incoming guards. She fired off an overload chain and two guards twitched and danced in its electrifying embrace. Since she was at the back of the room, she chose her Viper. Leaving the men inside the room to the men, while she concentrated on those appearing in the hallway beyond. When no more could be seen, she took point and moved cautiously through the door into the hall.

"Reinforce outprocessing…Shepard is loose!" Kuril demanded.

She could hear men talking from the S-Max hallway on her left. She darted to the far side of the hall entrance, peered around the corner and sent a sonic blast down the hallway to distract the guards advancing on them. She heard their screams and knew Grim was up ahead giving them hell. When they passed the last of the downed guards, Garrus put a bullet in his head as he walked by him. Guess he had only been mostly dead. Better a bullet in his head than one in my back. "Thank you, Sweetie."

As she opened the far door a technician aimed a gun on her and began radioing for assistance. "Shepard is—-"

She wrapped him in a reverse barrier bubble and skirted around him. "No longer your concern." She heard a gunshot, but didn't look to see who took the immobile man out. She moved to the console and looked out the window to the cryo hold below.

"Overriding the security interface will open all cells in this block," Legion informed them.

"Vela, I'm all for taking out criminals…but this might be more than we bargained for," Garrus warned…not for the first time wondering if this was all a mistake.

"It's the only way," Zaeed pointed out.

"Be ready…Things are about to get much more… interesting. Be ready." At least it will distract the guards and give them something more to shoot at than us.

"Really? Not sure we have the time…but where you're concerned….I'm always ready," Garrus said suggestively.

"Not that interesting, my love," She said as she overrode the security controls.

Zaeed groaned. "Get a room already."

"I wish we could, Zaeed. However, these particular rooms a bit more _permanent_ than I had in mind."

Alarms started going off and three YMIRs began to activate as massive mechanical arm locked onto Jack's cryo chamber, the locks gave away with a hiss, and it rose from its storage slot. A bald, boldly tattooed woman came into view clothed only in pants and a belt covering her nipples. Interesting.

"Jack's not quite what I was expecting." Garrus said with a wince. If those tattoos were this awful at a distance, he wasn't so eager to see them up close.

"Jack is smaller than her reputation suggests." Legion said with a flap of his brow plates.

"Goddamn," Zaeed whistled. "Would you look at that."

Jack was coming out of cryo a lot faster than Shepard expected. Her fingers twitched, she gasped and then her eyes shot open. She began to struggle, her hands breaking free from the cuffs that restrained her. She tore at the collar around her neck until it broke open. She fell forward, her hand going to her head as she shook it. Her eyes popped open when she noticed the advancing YMIRs. She yelled and launched herself out of the chamber, drew her arm back and shot a massive wave of energy at the YMIRs. Explosions could be seen, but Jack had disappeared from view.

"Situation chaotic. Decisive action required," Legion warned.

"We have to get down there, vela."

Damn…should have already been down there...instead of getting distracted watching it all play out. They moved through the door and followed the hall to the room Jack had been stored in. She scanned some salvage from one of the downed YMIRs and followed Jack's path of destruction. A mechanical voice stated warnings over a loudspeaker about the sectors that were opening and the destruction that was occurring. They could hear gunfire.

"They're attacking Jack!" Garrus yelled.

"Violent conflict in progress. Recommend rapid advance," Legion concurred.

She began to wonder if she'd made a grievance mistake in releasing the convict.

"All guards! Restore order! Lethal force authorized! But don't kill Jack! Techs! Lockdown! Lockdown!" Kuril ordered.

The halls finally emptied into a large room. Fires, broken girders, and blood everywhere. A massive, mechanical arm crashed to the floor in front of them.

"One girl did all this?" Zaeed asked incredulously.

"A high level of damage for a single organic," Legion said with another flap of his head plates.

"The girl is powerful, but she lacks subtly." Garrus said as he looked around at all the destruction.

They darted for a bridge spanning a depression between two sides of the room. It was an excellent sniper vantage point. The steel enforced railing provided safe cover. She nodded to her team. "Take a knee, gentlemen."

"All prisoners return to your cell blocks immediately or I'll open every airlock on this ship!" Kuril warned.

Legion and Zaeed watched as Garrus pulled his sniper and followed suit. They began a game of pop goes the weasel. Anything armed got popped. She turned her attention to the slowly advancing YMIR. She fired an amped overload charge at it. She ducked, barely missing a rocket that shot past her head. She spotted one entrenched guard taking potshots at them and shot a sonic blast at him that threw him into the YMIR; the YMIR turned its guns on the attacker, until he was nothing but a pile of steaming meat. She drew her Arc when it was close enough and blasted the thing. She sent two more Arc charges. hacked into the YMIR and exchanged it for her Viper. The men joined in to take it down.

"It's going to blow!" Garrus yelled.

He shielded her as it blew. Debris rained down on her kinetic barrier bubble. No matter how capable she was, he was never going to stop trying to protect her. She loved him heart and soul.

"Goddamn beautiful sight!" Zaeed placed his hand on the barrier. "Thanks for the cover, Shepard." He glanced over at her and groaned. Not again. "Will you two stop making goo-goo eyes at each other, you're making me ill."

The blaring alarm was hurting the hell out of her ears.

"Shepard, the warden has locked down the area behind you. You must find another exit route," EDI warned her.

"Warning! Power plant damage has led to overload. Core system failure is imminent." The ship's VI warned.

They crossed the bridge to the other side and proceeded further into the large room. Shepard looked down at one of the mangled guards. "Looks like this guard got swarmed by prisoners using improvised weapons. He never had a chance."

"The guards are heavily outnumbered without the force multiplier of automated security systems," Legion stated.

She nodded her agreement. She couldn't have said it better herself.

"It just shows you the kind of people these prisoners are. I don't agree with everything they do here, but it's in the galaxy's best interest. This guard kept maniacs away from innocent people." Garrus said solemnly.

"I think they should all be put down, prisoners and mercs alike. If these people are so vicious that normal prisons are not enough then the galaxy is better off without them. The warden and guards are no better, extortion, slavery, and violence. This needs to end." She said.

"That's a little more harsh than I expected from you, though I wholeheartedly agree, vela." Garrus said with a nod of satisfaction.

She hunkered down over another downed guard, hacked a datapad her lootdar had directed her to and left out the door at the far end of the room.

"Lock down at Blocks 4, 7, & 8."

She stole some more Arc ammo she found in a chest, grabbed some medigel, and followed the hall around to an exit door. As they entered the next room they could hear gunfire. She ran through a massive puddle of blood and ducked behind a crate. Guards were firing from the ground and from a raised walkway on the other side of the room. Her OTs hummed, an amped incinerate blast followed by a cryo caught one unlucky guard on the walkway above and shattered him.

Grim zipped around the room in a now you see me now you don't game, firing, electrical arcs, incineration and cryo blasts, as well as acid in the eyes of anyone unhelmeted. Legion's drone harassed anyone entrenched, giving them targets to shoot at.

"They hull has been breached in sectors 12, 14, and 30. No survivors," the mechanical voice informed them.

They moved together down the lower middle floor. As they approached the underside of a walkway bridge two guards began firing at them. She fired out an overload chain. The two guards twitched helplessly in its grip. Her team took them out before they could recover.

Protective cover shields popped up from the floor under the bridge. Better late than never, I suppose. A guard jumped up and began shooting at them from a cover further down the floor. She twisted her body and aimed a sonic blast that threw him in the direction of the advancing YMIR. A thunk and answering spray of bullets assured her… her ploy had been successful. While the men were busy with the guards, she darted around the other side of the bridge; she pulled her Arc, shot three charges at the YMIR, amped her OTs, sent blast after blast, heating and freezing the YMIR, and then swapped for her Viper. She aimed at the head of the YMIR. She got off two shots and had to dodge a missile. When the spray of bullets ended she ducked low and ran behind a massive crate. She peered around the side and got off a couple of more shots before hacking into the unit. Unfortunately, the hack didn't last long. The YMIR only took down two guards before refocusing on her.

Garrus noticed when she took off. He'd kept one eye on her and one on the guards. When he realized what she was doing, he sent an overload charge at the YMIR to distract it. It allowed his wife to get in a couple of more head shots. When the YMIR returned its attention to his wife, he aimed his Incisor and shot so many rounds into its head that it disintegrated. The YMIR blew up taking three hapless guards with it. His mandibles spread wide when he heard her say, "Thanks, honey."

"Find Jack…Full alert! Find Jack!" Kuril demanded.

She ran back around the bridge and joined the men in the middle of center depression. She sent a sonic shockwave at them, throwing them out into the open. She and Legion mowed them down while Garrus and Zaeed kept the guards on the far back upper ramp distracted.

She glanced at the guards on the ramp. "Going dark!" She faded, jumped, the disks slid out of her boots and she launched herself towards the ramp. She circled in behind the two guards and dropped down silently behind them. She reappeared when her OTs glowed; twin blades emerged from her OTs, slicing through the necks of both guards at the same time, before retracting back into their housing. She pivoted to the right and scanned the rest of the floor. Not signatures of any kind.

Garrus came up behind her and hugged her. She spun around and gave him a quick kiss. "Now, let's go find Jack."

She headed through the door. Grabbed some medigel, more ammo, and hacked a safe.

"All guards, to Cell Block one!" Kuril ordered.

The hall wrapped around a wall and they entered into another large room. Stacks of crates, dead prisoner bodies, and shield generators everywhere. They took cover behind some crates.

"You're valuable, Shepard. I could have sold you and lived like a king! But you're too much trouble!" Kuril said moving his hands out wide to the side. "At least I can recapture Jack," he said, firing from the hip in her direction.

"That's just not going to happen, Kuril. You're a two-bit slave trader and that's going to come to an end."

"I do the hard things civil governments are unwilling to. This is for the good of the galaxy!" Kuril shouted and opened the shield generators, protecting himself behind a barrier.

"In the right hands, I'd have to agree with you. But _not_ in your hands," she said as she darted up the far ramp. She grabbed her bats, amped them and shattered the guards that tried to flank her. She pulled her Viper and took down the nearby shield generator. She spun around, ducked behind the railing, took a knee and shot out the second shield generator in the middle. Two simultaneous concussive blasts hit the mercs that had been protecting the middle generator. She fired a chain overload at the downed men to give her men time to take them out. She stood, took aim at the far shield generator and blasted it to hell.

Kuril's barrier shield dropped. Bingo. He didn't move from his fortified position, but that was a good thing. With his sentinel armor he was going to be harder to bring down than his lackeys. When several guards gathered along the far wall she pulled out her Arc and tasered them. While they were doing the Arc dance she dodged to the next cover and ducked behind it. She sent her last Arc bolt into Kuril. She snapped it to her back and pulled off her Mattock. Grim and the drone moved in to harass Kuril, who managed to take them both out, but not before Grim took his shields down. Kuril ducked behind cover while his tech armor recharged. She took the opportunity to dart to a closer cover shield and ducked behind it. A concussive shot toppled a guard to the ground. When he got back to his feet she hit him with a sonic blast that sent him careening towards Garrus, who filled him full of holes.

"I love it when you give me gifts, vela."

Kuric scoffed. "A _human_ is your vela?"

"That_ human_ is Commander Shepard and she's not just my vela, she's my wife and my _lifemate_."

In a state of shock he stood to face his _guests_, oblivious to the fact that his tech armor was still down. He took in the scene around him and quickly realized his men were all down. He gaze raked over each one of them and saw the truth of his death in their eyes. But he couldn't stop his mouth. "That's impossible."

"I do not know the meaning of impossible," Shepard said as she passed between her husband and Zaeed. "But what I do know is that your time here is finished." She smiled as she amped her bats, flicking them to release their coils.

Kuril stood there stunned. Garrus blew off his head.

She sighed and snapped her bats to her magbelt. She turned around to face her husband, folding her arms across her chest. "I was going to do that."

"I know, but I couldn't risk him hurting you."

"Let's find Jack. EDI do you know where Jack is?"

"There is someone near the docking port. That may be Jack."

When they entered the docking port Shepard noticed a guard at Jack's back had taken a bead on her. She palmed a bat, flicked it and fired an amped overload at the guard. The gun flew by Jack's head, landed in Shepard's hand, she shot the twitching guard, spun it and snapped it to her back.

Jack saw the gun fly to the woman and looked back at the dead man. Her mouth dropped open then snapped closed. It had all happened in the blink of an eye. "What the hell are you?"

"I'm a woman Jack, just like you."

"You are _nothing_ like me. What the frak do you want?"

Zaeed shot a look at Garrus. He remembered all too well how the turian reacted to any slight to his wife.

Her husband bristled. She put a hand on him and sent waves of calm. "I just saved your ass."

"He was dead already. He just didn't know it."

"My name is Shepard. I'm here to get you off this ship. I want you as part of my team." Stars. Did she really just say that?

"I'm not going anywhere with you. You're Cerberus," Jack said coldly.

"Look at who I'm with. Do I look Cerberus? Do they? I'm using Cerberus to take down the Collectors. Then I will take down Cerberus. I'm offering to be your friend. You don't want to be my enemy."

Zaeed was surprised by her confession. In the right hands that information could be worth a lot of credits, but after her help with Vito…it was just not something he could bring himself to do – at least not as things stood right now. "Listen to Shepard, it'll save your life," Zaeed stated matter of fact.

"He's right, her enemies have a way of dying…by her hand…or mine," Garrus said simply.

"There is a high statistical probability of death by technological overload. A beheading is also likely," Legion stated.

Jack looked out at the Normandy and then back at the woman. She shook her head. "You show up in a Cerberus frigate to take me away somewhere. You think I'm stupid?"

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "This ship is going down in flames. I've got the only way out. I'm offering to take you with me. And you're arguing."

Jack's eyes narrowed. She knew she didn't have a choice, but she was never one to go down without a fight. "Look, if you want me to come with you, make it worth my while. I bet your ship has lots of Cerberus databases. You want me on your team? I want to look at those files. See what Cerberus has got on me."

"I'll give you full access. Just let me know what you find."

Jack looked at the woman for a moment. She oddly felt a bit more at peace in her presence and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. One thing she did know was the woman was powerful. She wasn't convinced the woman could be trusted, but going down with the ship did not feel like a healthy alternative. Jack sent her a hard look. "You better be straight up with me."

"My wife has given you her word."

Jack raised her eyebrows. "Your wife?" She was married to a turian? Definitely not a Cerberus kind of thing. Hell, it's not even normal.

"I'll explain it to you once we are off this hunk of junk," Shepard said with a smile.

Jack stood frozen for a minute. Damn! Megaton kilowatt. Who the hell is that woman? Or _what_? Jack was pretty sure she was going to be in for the ride of her life. She just wondered if she would make it out alive. "So why the hell are we standing here?"

She looked at her team. "Move out."

Jack took one final look out the window at the Cerberus frigate. Back in the belly of the beast. But this time she was no sniveling little girl. If they tried to back her in a corner…she'd take them all down. She hoped it didn't come to that. She wasn't sure if she could take out Shepard. But she would make her regret the betrayal.

Once aboard the Normandy, their first stop was the debriefing room. Miranda held her head up and strutted back and forth before turning to face Jack. Shoulders back, hands behind her back at military rest. "Welcome to the Normandy, Jack. I'm Miranda, Shepard's second in command. On this ship we follow orders."

What an arrogant little prissy bitch. "Tell the Cerberus cheerleader to back off, Shepard. I'm here because of our deal."

"Miranda will let you into the system. Let me know what you find."

"Hear that precious? We're going to be friends. You, me and every embarrassing little secret," Jack said smugly. "I'll be reading down in the hold or somewhere near the bottom. I don't like a lot of through traffic. Keep your people off me. Better that way," she warned as she headed out the door.

Shepard looked between Jack's disappearing figure and Miranda who was shaking her head. This was going to be interesting indeed.

She hit the tech lab to check on the research she'd scanned and then asked EDI where Jack was.

"She's down in the engineering sub-decks, Shepard."

"Thank you, EDI."

She dropped her armor off at the armory for a detailing. And hit the mess for some nutri-paste to take the edge off her hunger. She was going to have to eat more soon. Nutri-paste was better than nutri-bac bars, but she sure wouldn't want to live on either of them. Now to check on our newest guest. As she descended the stairs to the sub-deck, she looked around at the sparse and cramped area. No one should have to live down here. She spotted Jack sitting on a make shift cot. "Hi, Jack. Have you learned much about yourself?"

"I'm still finding out about me. Thanks for letting me look at these files."

"What have you found so far?" She noticed Jack's uncomfortable look around the room. "Don't worry; we've already cleared this portion of the ship of surveillance devices."

"Your friends at Cerberus are into some nasty things. I'm going to find something I can use. I just know it."

"What if the answers aren't what you expect?"

"I'm not looking for answers. I'm looking for names, dates, places."

"What do you intend to do when you find what you're looking for?"

"I go hunting. Anyone who has screwed with me pays. Their associates pay. Their friends pay. The galaxy is going to be a lot emptier when I'm done."

"What's your history with Cerberus?"

"They raised me in a research facility. I escaped when I was a kid," Jack said as she walked away from Shepard. "Been on the run ever since. And they've been chasing me ever since. But soon, I'm going to chase them," she said matter of fact and turned to face Shepard as if daring her to say something.

"You think about this a lot," Shepard said crossing her arms.

"I go to sleep with this. I wake up with it. Everyone I've killed I pretend it's the ones that did this to me." She admitted as she returned to her cot.

"I'll let you get back to your files. Any dirt on Cerberus you find let me know." This woman was seriously cracked. But Shepard could feel the pain beneath the edge…and that she could work with.

"Yup."

**Chapter 32**

**The Gift of Greatness**

Shepard stopped by the CIC and plotted a course for Aeia, in the Alpha Draconis System. They were going to check out the Hugo Gernsback distress call for Jacob.

"EDI let Chakwas and Mordin know I'm heading to the med-bay and let Garrus know he can meet me there if he's not busy."

"Of course, Shepard."

"Thank you, EDI."

Shepard was already stripped and on the table when Mordin and her husband walked in. He went immediately to her side and gave her a kiss. Rather her husband did…not Mordin. That would have been awkward.

Chakwas pulled the scanner arm around and positioned it as Mordin programmed it. A holo of her body appeared and Mordin zoomed in on the baby. Oh stars…it is growing so fast.

"We are going to take measurements first, because its physical development is a concern. We'll finish with the lab work," Chakwas informed them.

Chakwas moved the scanner to a more precise location and Mordin zoomed in further until all you could see was the baby. Skin was transparent. Faint plating could be seen on the baby's face; it appeared to have full cheeks, but upon closer inspection, whenever the baby breathed the cheek skin fluttered, more akin to a flap rather than something solid, though it was hard to see clearly past the mandibles. Nose appeared turian in build. No ears could be seen. Faint plating could be seen on the chest, back, neck and at shoulders. It had four fingers and a thumb. It waved its hands and made fists, fingers appeared to be in working order. Everyone was surprised to see it suckle its fingers and the small flaps of skin that sprung from behind the mouthplates to allow for the suction. That was a very human thing to do. It was primarily head and belly at this point, so it was hard to see just how the belly and hips were going to turn out. What can be seen of the legs thus far looked turian, however the baby had four toes, with a small toe bud placed a little higher on the foot. The gene therapy was not doing as much as Shepard had hoped it would. She was more than a little concerned if the baby would be able to walk and run properly. The holo zoomed in and they watched the highlighted areas change as different parts of the baby were measured. Special attention was paid to the developing organs. Its heart beat fast and correct.

When the scanner screen popped up displaying data, the doctors zoomed out on the baby so the parents could see all of it and they excused themselves for a moment to analyze the data.

Shepard's hand felt crushed. He was so enthralled seeing their baby he was squeezing the life out her hand in excitement. But, she couldn't blame him, his was probably just as sore as hers…she was surely doing plenty of squeezing right back. It was incredible to see such precise detail. The baby was kicking and doing summersaults in its amniotic sac.

"Can you feel it move?" Garrus asked, not taking his eyes from the holo.

"No, not yet. Though I imagine it won't be much longer."

They chatted happily between each other pointing out things they saw or movements the babies made. Neither had a dry eye….it was just too emotional.

The doctors finally returned. "The baby is doing fine. And, Commander…I don't suppose I need to tell you it's time to give up the uneven bars until the baby is born?"

"I had them folded up and affixed to the wall a couple of days ago. It was sad to do it, but it feels like I have a hard softball in my gut and it was becoming uncomfortable."

Chakwas smiled and nodded. "You do have a hard softball in your gut, and it's getting bigger by the day. You can continue to use your balance beam, unless it too becomes uncomfortable. And you can continue to spar, though keep the hits to the arms and legs from here on in. You will also need to buy a larger chest plate for your armor or go with an armored leather or other more pliable material."

"Yeah, I noticed that the last time I suited up. Thought maybe I'd been eating too much. I have some ideas in mind. I wanted to upgrade anyway. I hate hard, thick plated armor…It doesn't allow freedom of movement."

Chakwas chuckled and started laying out the needles. "Are you ready to get the lab work done so you can get out of here?"

"Bring it on, doc."

Her husband tried to distract her with childhood stories with his family. How he'd nearly drowned one time when he fell into one of the rivers…then the humiliation he faced when he found it was no more than sixteen inches deep.

When the doctors had flushed and refilled the membrane with amniotic fluid and given the baby its gene therapy mixture, they took their collected samples and headed to Mordin's lab, leaving the pair alone.

Garrus ran his tongue along the blood trail left by the needle, removing all traces of it. He flicked his tongue in her navel, then further down, running it along her low panty line, nipping a hip between his mouth plates. She moaned and her pheromones perfumed the air.

"We should get back to the cabin," Garrus' voice squeaked. He cleared his throat. "Maybe even at a run."

He stepped back so she could get dressed. Her pheromones were wreaking havoc on his senses, his chest began to rumble and his mandibles began to vibrate against his cheekplates. She held out her hand, he took it and they lit out of med-bay like it was on fire….or perhaps they were. They shot to the elevator, Garrus embraced her head with his hands and turned her towards him for a kiss as the door was closing. He molded her to him, his hands grasping her ass, rocking her against him, enjoying the feel of the soft flesh beneath his talons. As the doors opened on their floor, a trail of clothing began dropping to the hallway behind them.

As they lay in each other's arms, sated for the moment and savoring the aftershocks, he laid a hand against her hardening belly. She kept them merged long enough for the baby and daddy to feel each other before releasing the connection.

Garrus was on cloud nine…it was a soft and fluffy place to be. When he fell in love with Shepard years ago, he never imagined they would have children and he had been okay with that. She was all he ever needed. This baby was a precious, miraculous gift.

That evening Shepard sent the holo pictures of the babies to her mother, David, the Vakarians and to Solana and Rojik. She congratulated them on their graduation and sent them their love and best wishes.

Her hands were flying over the holo-keyboard when Garrus entered their cabin. He nuzzled the top of her head, enjoying the feel of her soft hair slipping through his mandibles and looked over her shoulder at the massive amounts of information being displayed on the screen. "What are you working on?"

"I found a light armor and I'm rewriting its programming. I've got a lot more work to do on it…modifications I need to implement." Her voice trailed off.

"If I know my wife, they will be highly illegal modifications," he said with pride.

"I would never…" She tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't stop the laughter from bubbling out. "This suit will put my old armor to shame." What she didn't tell him about was the new light armor she was modifying for him. She knew he favored heavy armor, but with the mods she was installing, he wouldn't need it. She just had to convince him to try it out once she finished it.

"That's saying something, because your old armor was a masterpiece of illegal ingenuity. It's hard to imagine something more impressive than what you already built." He looked down at the medkit that was normally stored in their bathroom closet. He tapped the medkit with his toe. "What's that for? Are you feeling okay?"

"It's not for me…it's for you."

His eyeplates rose. "Me? I don't need a medkit."

"You will," she said with a smile.

He took a step back, folded his arms over his chest and eyed her uncertainly. "And why would I need a medkit?" Then he shot her a hot look. "Do you intend to rough me up in bed?"

"You wish!" she said with a chuckle.

"You know it!" he said seductively as he reached out for her.

She shook her head. "Go grab that chair, big guy and take a seat." She laughed at the forlorn expression on his face. "All in good time, my love." She quirked her lips when that seemed to placate him to some degree.

While he was getting the chair, she rearranged the tools that she would need. He sat down beside her; she stripped off the soft glove and placed his arm on the table. She flipped on her OT and scanned his arm, memorizing the location of his OT implant and its interface port. When she noticed his questioning look she squeezed his hand. "I'm just going to recalibrate your OT."

"It's working fine, Ari. I think I would know if it needed recalibrating…after all, it is what I do best." His mandibles spread as he mocked himself.

"We all know you're the king of calibrations, honey. But not even the great Garrus Shepard-Vakarian can do this. Trust me…I'm going to make your day."

"I'd much rather you make my night." He leaned in closer, waggling his browplates.

She grabbed his mandibles and pulled him in for a kiss. "Oh, I intend to, husband. Now sit still a moment and let me finish what I need to do so we can move on to the steamy sex part." She couldn't help but smile when she heard the soft purr he was emitting. But, damn, if he didn't instantly hold still for her.

She swabbed the import site and then applied a local anesthetic gel. After a couple of minutes she flipped on his OT, inserted a needle probe into the interface port, and downloaded the modifications she'd designed for him. She watched the code fly across the screen. She stopped it every now and again, typing in an adjustment as needed.

Garrus couldn't make heads or tails of the code Arianna was working with, but he hadn't expected to. Everything his wife did was highly encrypted. "I don't suppose I have to ask what would happen if anyone other than you or I attempted to hack my OT?"

"It would self-destruct…just a mild explosion, maybe 10 feet of destruction." When she saw his mandibles drop, keeping a straight face became impossible. She gave a throaty laugh and brought her hand to his cheekplate. "I love you, honey. If someone tried to tamper with your OT all the upgrade codes would simply wipe themselves. Your OT would be functional as it was before my mod upgrades. Though, until you memorize the code I used for the upgrades, I'd leave future calibrations to me. The code is…tricky and sensitive to tampering." She flipped off his OT and withdrew the needle, laying it aside. She picked up his hand and flicked her tongue over the tiny drop of blue blood.

"All done. There is one more thing I need to do to it, but Grim and I are still working out the program. I'll install it when it's completed." She gave his talons a squeeze. "Well, check out your new toy, hot shot. Just don't fire off any charges." She put away the instruments she used and hopped up. "On second thought, come on." She pulled him up and headed for the door. It is probably a good idea for you to become familiar with it before you have to use it in battle."

"Wait," he said pulling her to a stop. "What about the steamy sex part?"

She could swear he was pouting. "I promise you I'll make it worth the wait."

"You had better," he groused.

They hopped the elevator down to the firing range. "Put your OT through its paces. I'll be right back. I'm going to grab some vittles, I'm hungry again." She smiled, gave him a small wave and returned to the elevator.

Garrus watched his wife leave and then turned his focus to his OT. He was curious what she'd done to it. He flipped it open.

- I love you… we'll bang, okay?

The message had displayed quick and disappeared. His mouth dropped open. He knew he did not just see what he thought he saw. He flipped his OT off and then on again.

- I love you…Fuck me hard, big guy

Oh, Spirits! She didn't. He flipped it off and on again. Over and over again.

- I love you…I bet mine is bigger than yours is

- I love you…Show me yours and I'll show you mine

- I love you…I want to feel you deep inside me

- I love you…I going to lick every inch of you

- I love you…let's come together

- I love you…I'm so wet right now

- I love you…Your tongue drives me wild

- I love you…I'm going to ride you hard

- I love you…Hot, wet and horny as hell

- I love you…I promise I'll swallow

Garrus just stood there a moment. He was hard, aching and in dire need of his wife. The little minx. He shook his head. There seemed to be no end to her little _messages_ and he didn't want her to come back down here and catch him mooning over her raunchy words of love.

He ran through the menu screen and immediately saw several of the new programs she'd installed. Incinerate, cryo, kinetic barrier, amp, cloak…cloak? He touched the button and watched as his OT disappeared, followed slowly by the rest of him. He assumed, in tandem with his armor, he'd disappear as quickly as his wife. But, Spirits, this was incredible.

He chose a booth and ran batarian mercs aboard a ship. When he fired off an overload charge, his body reappeared. The strength of his overload charge had increased dramatically. It wasn't as strong as his wife's, but then his OT wasn't being fueled by the electrical impulses of his body either. He began testing the other upgrades. He discovered firsthand how incredibly fun it was to watch batarians explode from high heat and cold blasts. Why had he never thought to acquire these upgrades? Probably because he'd always preferred the comforting weight and press of a gun between his hands. If he had to admit it, a part of him always considered incinerate and cryo blasts to be less than manly, but he'd come to learn that aiming the blast was far more difficult than he'd imagined. At least aiming them at the target he wanted hit. If the aim isn't precise enough the blast would angle off and hit another target, which could be a costly mistake if it were a life or death situation with target zero. With this new found knowledge, his respect rose for those that had mastered the blast.

She slipped through the door and placed the tray of food on the table. She sat down in a chair when she realized her husband hadn't heard her enter. She watched him practice; he was getting very good at shot placement. She was impressed and getting more turned on by the minute watching the play of his muscles as he darted back and forth, throwing out blasts of death. She stepped up behind him, wrapped her arms loosely around him, feathering her fingers along his belly.

"Not right now, maybe later." Garrus froze the moment those words fell from his mouth. He knew how much Arianna hated it when he talked to her that way. He knew she thought it to be callous and rude.

"Not right now, maybe later…" she repeated slowly. She dropped her arms and backed away.

He heard the dangerously soft edge to her voice. "Oh, crap," he said quietly. Why hadn't he said, 'give me just a moment and I'm all yours.' or even, "I'm almost finished with this round, I'll join you in a minute." Why? Spirits, he could be dense at times. He removed the sensor harness and spun around, but she was already heading towards the door. He began to hum, trying to sooth her as he closed the distance between them. She turned, her OT glowed and a kinetic barrier popped up in front of him. He slammed into and stumbled backwards. A few quick presses on his OT and a hand wave later, the barrier winked out. He watched her eye tick and wondered if she regretted giving him those upgrades now. He had to think fast, he had no intention of staying in the doghouse. He flapped his mandibles slowly, hummed softly, and imagined his wife naked beneath him. He knew she couldn't smell his desire or his pheromones, but he knew the pheromones still affected her. He knew his scenting had reached her when her eyes and stance began to soften. As his lifemate, she was as helpless against his pheromones as he was against hers.

She backed slowly away until came up against the wall. He placed his hands on the wall, caging her in with his body. He stood there a moment, trying to capture her gaze, giving his pheromones time to work their magic. When she sighed and looked him in the eye, relief flooded through him. "I'm sorry, Arianna. I was so absorbed in what I was doing that I didn't hear you come in. I didn't even realize you were there, I just knew there was a distraction. I – you know how I can get…" He lowered his cheek to hers, vibrating his mandibles against her soft skin. "I'm sorry," he breathed into her ear. He felt her shiver and his body reacted immediately to the pheromones she began to produce. He opened his mouth and breathed in, forcing her pheromones across his sensitive tongue and between his teeth. His chest began to rumble in response. The marking glands at the base of his teeth began to swell. That usually only happened when his scent on her fell below a certain level, but that wasn't the case this time. He could taste the pungent secretions as the glands began to leak. The need to mark her consumed him. Nothing else existed. He scraped his teeth down her neck and across her shoulder. He crushed her to him to prevent her escape and bit deep into her shoulder. He ground his teeth and gums against her in quick bursts, milking the ducts of the glands, trying to relieve the painful pressure. But the glands continued to swell.

It was pissing her off that she couldn't stay mad at him. That he could turn her anger to desire so easily. She felt the painful sting of his bite. She knew he was marking her again; there was no mistaking the scent. At first the vibrations against her felt good, but eventually her shoulder began to throb. She could feel his breath harsh against her battered flesh. She heard his whimpers and growls of frustration and realized something was wrong. For once her brain failed her. She didn't know what to do to help him and her shoulder was burning from the amounts of secretion he was pumping into her. The only thing she could think to do was distract him. She traced the hard bulge through his pants before lowering them enough to free him. He sprang into her hand and groans accompanied the whimpers and growls as she caressed him.

She wiggled her panties down her hips until gravity took over and they fell to her feet. She rolled up her dress, took hold of his carapace and pulled herself up, wrapping her legs around his trim waist. She lowered herself down onto his straining shaft.

His talons raked down her back and gripped her hips as he thrust into her. He pounded into her in sheer desperation. She clung to him whispering words of love, trying her best to ignore the pain from her ravaged shoulder. She did not merge them. She didn't want him to feel the agony she was in. Despite the pain, her body responded to his as it always had.

Zaeed stepped into the firing range and froze. He saw Garrus rutting into the Commander forcefully. He saw the tears and pain that contorted Shepard's features. Normally, he stayed out of the affairs of others, but this was…this was so wrong. He was not going to let this continue. With his mind set, he advanced on the pair, determined to teach the turian a lesson he would not soon forget. But before he could reach them he caught Shepard's eye and the slight shake of her head. He gave her a hard look and then saw her eyes go unfocused, her face tensing for a brief moment before she cried out with the force of her climax. He shook his head and beat a hasty retreat. Perhaps he would visit Samara, see how amenable she was to his charms. He would make sure the Commander was okay later and nothing would stop him from giving the goddamned turian a piece of his mind.

Garrus gasped when he felt her muscles grip him tightly. His talons dug in and he growled harshly against her shoulder as he emptied himself into her spasming sheath. As he continued to grind his teeth into her shoulder, the glands finally stopped swelling and the ducts were able to milk out the last of the secretions. He whimpered in relief as tears slid down his faceplates. He withdrew his teeth and ran his tongue gently over the ragged flesh, cleaning off the blood caused by his attack. The wounds began to knit closed, but her shoulder remained swollen and enflamed. He carried her over to a chair and sat down, so they could ride out the tie more comfortably.

He grasped her head between his talons and lifted her face to his. He saw her red, swollen eyes. He'd hurt her more than he realized. He brought his cheek to hers, fluttering his mandibles and humming out his distress. "I'm so sorry, vela. I never meant to hurt you like that. I don't know what happened. The glands wouldn't stop swelling. I - " She pulled away and his heart twisted in pain until her teeth sank into his shoulder. His chest rumbled and his hum became lighter. He growled out in pleasure as she suckled the small wound.

She trailed her tongue slowly up the artery of his neck. Her tongue wasn't as sensitive as his and his skin was too thick for her to feel much, but she knew it had significance as often as he did it to her. She brought her mouth to his ear canal. "There is no need to apologize for that, husband. I am well and truly marked. I think every known species will be able to smell who I belong to now." She gave a light laugh. "And I'm okay with that." But she was damn sure going to hit Mordin's lab later. Come hell or high water she was going to find a way to condense her pheromones, perhaps even a pheromone-hormone mixture into a thick oil or paste that she could use on her husband whenever she reaffirmed their bond. He'd gone unmarked long enough.

When his shaft slipped back into its sheath he stood them both up and nuzzled the top of her head.

"I love you, Garrus."

"That is not something my OT will ever allow me to forget, but I will never tire of hearing those words from your beautiful mouth." He slid his thumb across her soft lips. "I love you, Arianna." He peered around the room and sighed. "I think we need to get out of here, we were damned lucky no one walked in on us."

She flushed. "Someone did walk in on us. Zaeed."

"Crap!" Anyone on the ship would have been preferable to Zaeed.

"That about sums it up. Oh – and about those messages, I can remove the code for them…" she said as she rubbed her thumb over his OT implant.

He closed his hand around hers and removed it from his wrist. He didn't want her anywhere near his OT with talk like that. "Don't even think about it. You gave them to me…they're mine. No take backs allowed. Am I clear?"

"As crystal, Mr. Shepard-Vakarian, sir." She retrieved the tray of food. "Are you going to stay and practice a while longer or will you join me in the cabin to help me pig out on all of this?" She raised the tray of food to draw his attention to it.

"I'm going to close down the booth; I'll be up right behind you." He watched her leave, hung up the sensor harness and shut off the booth. He walked swiftly towards the door and froze. He saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head, his gaze sweeping the floor until he spotted his wife's black panties. His mandibles spread in a smile. He couldn't wait to tease her about forgetting them. He picked up the lacey scrap of material and before he could think better of it, he brought it to his nose and breathed in her scent. "Spirits…" He slipped it into his pocket and all but ran to the elevator.

She was seated at her computer and hard at work when he walked into the cabin. "You sure don't waste any time, do you?"

"Sorry, there are a few last minutes adjustments I wanted to make before giving it a rest tonight. We'll eat in a just a moment."

Garrus sighed and sat down on the sofa.

A flashing light caught her attention. She turned her head just enough to see her husband's OT flashing on and off. She could feel the heat creeping up into her cheeks and sighed. She did give him the damned messages, but did he have to look at them in front of her? She returned her focus to the task at hand. Her concentration slipped every time she heard his gasp, groan or chuckle. She pulled up a secondary program and began to type, then returned to her original task to finish off the last commands.

He flipped his OT on again.

- I love you…Please drag me away from this damned computer, I'm starving.

He glanced up at his wife's back and his mandibles spread. He stood up, stretched, and sauntered over to her hunched form. He rested his hands on her shoulders and nuzzled the top of her head. He pulled her back against him, trailed his hand down her arm and took her hand in his. "Come on, vela. Your hushban's getting lonely."

She lowered her head to the table and her shoulders began to shake. He gave her hand a tug and pulled her up against him. She laughed even harder, her eyes shining with love as they locked onto his. "You are never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Of course not. I would never willingly give up good ammunition. And ammunition from you is always the best…But I do wish I could get you drunk again." He pulled up one mandible into a suggestive leer.

"I bet. You just like me stroking your ego."

"Touché. But, I like you stroking more than just my ego," he said suggestively.

"You have a one-track mind, Vakarian."

"That is your fault, wife."

"How is that my fault?"

"For two reasons. The first is that you've thrown my mind into the gutter ever since we first met. I was so taken by you that my mind twisted almost everything you said or did into something sexual. You were driving me crazy. You still do."

"Garrus…your mind didn't do any twisting. I wanted you and just about everything I said or did was intended to be taken sexually. A stretch, a touch, words with double meanings…Getting you into my bed was one of the hardest missions I'd ever taken on. So, yes, I completely own Reason number one. That was most certainly my fault. Reason number two?"

"I think I will save that for later."

She gave his mandible a tug. "You are such a tease."

She followed him to the sofa and curled up next to him. He placed the tray of food on their laps and wrapped his arm around her, tucking her in at his side. They fed each other quietly; content just to have this peaceful, comfortable moment.

He fished her panties out of his pocket and began to spin them around his finger. "You left something behind at the firing range."

Shepard looked at the rotating panties and flushed. "And just like that the magic was gone…" She made a grab for them and he jerked his hand away, still spinning them around his finger. She scrambled on top of his lap, upending the empty tray to the floor. Every time she got close to reaching the maddeningly rotating panties, he whipped them further out of reach. "Really, Garrus?"

Her breasts in front of his face was more than he could bear. He slipped his tongue down between her breasts and curled it along the underswell, before sweeping up her breast and coiling around the tight peak. He hooked a talon on the fabric of her dress and pulled it aside, baring her breast to his hungry gaze. He rubbed his cheek against the hard bud and fluttered his mandibles between her breasts. His chest rumbled, his need growing as she bounced against him trying to reach her panties. She pushed off his thighs, nearly crushing his newly emerged testicles. She shouted triumphantly when she snagged her panties from his finger and jumped off him.

She began to dance a victory jig, rubbing his face in her win. She glanced down and saw her breast bouncing free of her dress. She looked at her husband who was giving her a lopsided grin. "I suppose the only reason that I won was because you were distracted?" He remained silent, but his smile broadened. Damn the man.

She tossed her panties down the laundry shoot and shot her husband a hot look and a sultry smile. "Lover-boy….Oh lover-boy…" she said crooking a finger at him. "Come here, lover-boy…Take me to bed or lose me forever..."

Garrus raised both his browplates and flapped his mandibles slowly. "We can't have that, now can we?" He was at her side in a blink and began peeling off her clothes.

As soon as they were both naked, she gave him a sharp shove and backed away, falling into a fighting stance. The heat of his gaze bore into her.

"Vela…" his voice thick and heavy with need. "Haven't I abused you enough for one day?" With the shake of her head he sighed. "We can't do this anymore…the baby."

"The baby's fine, big guy – the doctor said we can still spar." She darted in, ducked his arm, ran her tongue up his shaft and rolled out of reach, flowing up into another stance.

The rumble in his chest grew louder. "That was playing dirty."

"Whatever it takes, husband." She could see his mandibles trembling…she hadn't pushed him far enough yet. She captured her breasts in her hands, caressed them and rolled her nipples between her fingers. She didn't really feel anything, only a lifemate could cause a physical response. The lifemate bond was absolute…but she could fake it with the best if she had to. A small moan escaped her lips as she continued to squeeze and caress her breasts. She imagined her husband's touch, the feel of his tongue against her and she could tell by the way his body tensed that she was scenting. She lifted one breast up and flicked the tip of her tongue over the hardened peak, followed by another moan.

"Vela…"

She'd never heard is voice drop so low. But then, she'd never really had to push him before. One hand slid lowly down her belly and through her dark, auburn curls. She spread her legs and dipped her fingers lower. She kept her ears alert for the slightest movement and flung her head back, a ragged cry escaped her lips. His mandibles began to clack fast and furious. Hook, line and sinker, babe…I got you. He was almost upon her before she realized it. She ducked, spun low, pulled her kick, but it was enough to make him stumble. She ran her hand up his thigh, rolled out of reach and into another stance. Her heart raced in excitement. His pupils were dilated, his breath coming in whistles over his teeth as he tasted her pheromones. The rumbles and clacking grew louder.

She could not hide how much she wanted him. He could feel it, smell it, taste it and the need to mate with her was consuming him. The longer she kept him at bay, the fiercer the need became. He did not strike out at her, though the blows she landed and the stolen caresses stoked the flames into an inferno. He kept pace with her, dodging blows and darting in to grab her, but she was always just out of reach. He rushed forward, spun, ducked low and reached out for a leg, she moved quickly, his talons slid along her thigh and grazed her wet heat before she was out of reach again. He brought his hand to his nose and breathed in her scent. He ran his tongue over the top of his talon. A low growl of need tore out of him and his shaft grew heavier.

He was closing in fast. She darted up the stairs and then came to a stop. Damn it! She'd backed herself into a corner. So much for being a genius. Neither the bathroom nor the elevator were viable options. She spun around to face him and calculated what it would take to get by him. She jumped atop the railing. She knew she didn't have time to turn around and leap down onto the sofa, so she decided to let gravity work in her favor. As her body started to fall she felt his talons grip her wrist in a vice grip. She rose one foot from the railing to push him back, knowing that if he didn't release her she'd end up falling on top him, which could prove to be fun. But his other hand captured her ankle. She felt his hot breath a moment before his mandibles fluttered against the very heart of her. She trembled at the onslaught of his tongue. He lowered her foot back onto the railing, released her hand, trailed his hands up the backs of her legs and gripped her hips tightly. Her moans were throaty, deep and very real. She merged their auras. The heat of his desire would have brought her to her knees if he wasn't holding her up.

The pleasure he was giving her rolled over him like a tidal wave. It was too much; he was too far gone. He yanked her forward and slammed her against her wall, his hand protecting her head as he drove deep into her tight, wet sheath. Her legs locked around his waist, imprisoning him between them. Soft growls blended with heady moans. His tongue played over her nipples, flicking them before wrapping around them. His head was jerked back, a crest spike tight in her grasp. He felt the sting of her bite on the side of his neck. He cried out when her tongue caressed the wound and again with the suction of her mouth against his sensitive skin. When she released him, he went straight for her neck. His tongue slid slowly over her pulsing artery. Another growl escaped him at the feel of her racing blood. His teeth clamped onto her throat, his tongue continued to stroke slowly along the artery. His jaws held her firmly, his talons bit into her hips as he drove into harder, faster… relentless.

God, she loved it when he lost control. The sting of his teeth, his hot breath fanning her neck in harsh pants, his tongue …dear god, what his tongue could do to her. And damn the man could fuck like a god when he lost it. She loved it when he made love to her tenderly, cherishing her…but when he became aggressive, there was something so primal…like a fire burning out of control - and to just give into it, to let it consume her…it took her to places she'd never imagined…freed a part of her she didn't even know existed. He was so thick, so long, and so damn deep. "Oh god… Garrus…"

He felt her muscles tighten around him as she stiffened in his arms. Oh, Spirits! He gripped her hips tighter, slamming her down as he thrust up into her. He vaguely heard her yell out his name when she climaxed, but it sounded like it came from a great distance. It was hard to hear past the rush of blood through his ears that mirrored the rush against his tongue. His jaws clamped tighter as an orgasm ripped through him. He thrust and thrust until his shaft locked them tight. He growled against her throat as he continued to spill himself deep inside of her. When he was finally spent, he released her throat, scraped his teeth along her shoulder, bit deep into his bondmark and took in the blood that fueled him. When her teeth pierced him, his rumble of contentment grew stronger. He lowered his mouth to hers and gave her a slow, gentle kiss. "I love you, Arianna Vakarian," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

She ran her fingers along his faceplates and gave him a soft smile. "And I love you, Garrus Shepard." She pulled him down and brought her forehead to his.

He carried her to the bed. She clung to him tightly while he used his arms and legs to maneuver them to the middle of the bed. He rolled them onto their sides, his mandibles spread in a smile when one of his prongs began to stimulate her. They were going to ride this ride straight into dreamland.

The days following the entrance into the Alpha Draconis System were nearly perfect. They were bordering the Rosetta Nebula. A couple of more days would see them to Aeia. She was continuing her beam workouts and her sparring. She had to fight to keep her husband from being too easy on her. The lighter he sparred, the heavier she did. She needed to stay in top form. If he was going to be too prissy to spar with her, she was sure going to take him down and hard. He finally picked up his stones when she threatened to find new sparring partners. He knew no amount of hard glares or threats would keep others from sparring with her, because most of the crew feared her far more than him.

She'd also been able to get through the first five Star Wars movies with Kasumi and few others. The movies were pretty good, funny too. It was neat to look back on what humans imagined aliens would look like. Five down seven to go. Jedi were an interesting concept. A life built on saving those in need and protecting the galaxy from the evil that threatened it. Kind of rang a bit of a bell. And damn if that Qui-Gon wasn't hot!

Stars, if she didn't want one of those lightsabers. Such a weapon could never exist, since the laser created by the crystal would go on forever rather than come to an end two or three feet from the hilt. But if such weapon could exist she'd be all over it. She was going to figure out how to make one, add it to her little _toy_ collection.

She had commed Legion and had him meet her at his quarters. He liked to spend his time down in engineering or giving Garrus pointers at the forward batteries. Garrus ignored Legion for the most part. He had a lot of respect for Legion, but he still didn't like anyone telling him how to do his job.

She had some more calculations concerning her projects that she wanted to go over with him. With the information she had given him he was able to extrapolate more precise methods of management, which would lessen the amount of time needed for the completion of her projects.

She had thanked him with a hug and a kiss to his faceplate. She wasn't sure when he had started returning her hugs, it was certainly an un-geth like thing to do, but this time he did not release her right away.

"Shepard Commander, I-" He stopped mid-sentence and froze.

The use of 'I' had been startling. Apparently to him as well. She wondered if he might be becoming a little more self aware.

He looked down at her for a long moment as if he were deep in contemplation or computing something and then released her. "We want to thank you for trusting this unit and allowing us to be a part of your mission."

She frowned at his words. Talk about one step forward and two steps back. She put a hand to his faceplate and rubbed it. "Legion, you are more than some _unit_ to me. I trust you completely. You are my friend. To me you are a man…a he…not an_ it_. You are an_ I_ not a we….that is how I see you." She put a finger to his flashlight as if to shush him. "I know you will see that as illogical, and I don't care if it is. To me you are an individual. You are unique…you are special….and I love you." She pulled his head down and kissed his flashlight. "Thank _you_ for helping to save me, for finding me again and for joining me. You have honored me and you will always have a place in my heart."

Legion flapped his plates a few times. "Acknowledged," he said softer than usual. Legion watched Shepard depart his quarters. It continued to flap its various faceplates. The programs within the platform were a bit unstable at the moment. They were trying to process Shepard Commander's words. And what those words made it feel. It was the _feel_ part that was working its processors overtime. It felt more and more the longer it was away from the consensus…or more precisely the longer it was with Shepard Commander. It could not understand why it had used Shepard Commander's armor to repair itself. There had been a lot of armor in better condition that it could have used. But it had wanted only hers. And it felt _good _that Shepard Commander saw this platform as a person, an equal, a friend…that she loved it and was honored by its presence. It felt…it felt…it felt. It did not know how to process all that it felt. But it did know it would do anything for Shepard Commander.

"ETA 19 minutes out of Aeia, Commander."

"Thank you, Joker."

"EDI have Jacob and Mordin meet me at the shuttle in 15."

"Right away, Shepard."

Her husband greeted her in the hallway in front of their cabin when she stopped off the elevator.

She had agreed some time ago to have more people on her squads. She had little choice in capitulating after the gunship incident; she knew he would follow her down regardless of her orders. They both were glaringly aware that he was not a very good turian and protecting his lifemate…his wife and child were more important to him than chain of command. She was more okay with that then she initially thought she would be. They were the perfect team and leaving him behind had always left her feeling as though something were left undone or missing, a void no one had been able to fill. She was becoming less by-the-books herself as time went on. She couldn't help but wonder how that was going to affect her when she returned to the Alliance.

"Let's go see what the Gernsback has to tell us. As Jacob said, we may find nothing but dusty bones down there, but if there are survivors a doctor will be needed. We are not expecting resistance. But then, my missions never seem to turn out quite as I expect them to."

"Maybe not, but you can never tell that by looking at you. You are always prepared for anything that happens and that gives the team confidence that there is nothing they can't handle."

She looked at him thoughtfully as they entered their cabin. "I wasn't prepared to be spaced." She saw the pain etched in his face and she wished she'd kept her mouth shut.

He pulled her to a stop. "I think you were, Ari. You handled it like you do everything, thinking of everyone else before yourself. You had only seconds to spare, yet you had a speech all worked out. You were prepared for your death. But I, and the rest of the team, was not prepared for your death." He took a painful breath. "I received your message," he said quietly. "I can't tell you how many times I replayed it during those two years. That message and Geordi were the only things that kept me going." He looked over at the hamster. He missed having that little rat in his pocket.

She placed a hand on his cheekplate and turned his head so she could see his eyes. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have brought it up. I didn't mean to make you relive the memories."

"I always relive those memories, Arianna. They are always at the front of my mind. When I sleep, if I'm not dreaming of making love to you – I'm dreaming of losing you." He shuddered. "That's why I hold on to you so tight at night…Because I'm afraid that when I wake up you won't be there." Her fingers stroked gently over his browplates. He took her hand, brought her palm to his mouth and nuzzled it. "You can't soothe away that fear, vela. It will never release its hold on me. But it does drive me. I will never let anything happen to you again." His cleared his throat when his voice cracked. "Now go get suited up, we're running late."

She was struggling to fasten her armor. "I need a little help here," she said swiping her hand through her hair in frustration.

"What is it, vela?"

"I'm too fat for my armor…I need help fastening it," she said with a blush.

Garrus gave his armor a final adjustment and frowned as he moved to his wife's side. He placed a hand on her front and back and then pushed it together. She fastened it while he held it in place. "You are not fat, wife. That is our child and I love every inch of that belly." He rubbed the hard plate protecting their child before taking a step back.

She winced. "This is uncomfortable as hell," she groused, and rubbed her armor encased belly.

"Now you know how I feel."

"Do we need to get you larger armor as well?" she asked concerned.

"I've been thinking about it." He sighed. "I'm hard half the time I'm around you, vela…and this armor isn't built for it."

"Only half the time?" she asked seductively, trailing her fingers down his sensitive neck. "I'm going to have to work on that."

Garrus groaned and ran a hand down his face. "You are a merciless tease, vela."

"Tease? I think not. Tease implies I don't follow through…and I think we both know just how well I follow through." She gave her lips a slow, exaggerated lick. She caught the gleam in his eyes, stuck her tongue out, laughed and beat feet for the door.

Garrus caught up with her in the elevator. He pulled her in for a hard, heated kiss and then looked down at his wife's dazed eyes and swollen lips. She was so beautiful. He lowered his mouth plates to her soft lips and ran his tongue along them before darting into the heat of her mouth and deepening the kiss.

When he pulled away she was so sexually frustrated she could scream. "I deserved that," she said, her voice thick with desire. "Come on; let's go check out the Gernsback."

"My armor is as tight and uncomfortable as yours," Garrus said with a wince and a hitch in his step.

When they made it to the shuttle Mordin and Jacob cleared their throats. They could feel the sexual tension in the air. Jacob ran a hand along the back of his neck and hopped into the shuttle before his own unexplainable arousal could be seen. He told them again what little he knew about the Gernsback. It was privately owned and funded, that's why there weren't great records on where it had gone. All he knew is that it had been sent to survey a planet for possible human colonization. It disappeared 10 years ago and had never been heard from until now. His father had been first mate.

When they stepped out of the shuttle into the bright midday sun, they took in the rocky mountains and lush jungle vegetation around them. It was a beautiful planet. The massive wreck could be seen. It lay on shoreline, but was partially submerged in the water. She forced the sight and looked over everyone's aura. She shrugged, released the sight and kissed her husband for luck.

"I have run a scan of the ship. I detect no life signs, but there may be useful technology or information still inside," EDI informed her.

They followed a rock strewn dirt path down towards the Gernsback.

"There it is. And mostly intact. They could have survived impact…but it's been years," Jacob said. "Looks like it was stripped after the crash. They'd have tried to get a beacon up as soon as possible."

Stacks of crates and machinery parts were strewn about. She discovered a terminal that still worked. She accessed it to discover it was an officer's log. Or at least a partial log entry.

"…along with this anymore. We've done horrible things to the crew. The condition they're in, they don't understand what we're doing to them. Distract them for two seconds and they forget what you did before the bruises show. It's got to stop. I'm talking to the others as soon as—"

"Well, that was ominous. Let's see what we can find inside." There was very little left inside the portion of the ship that they could access. The flooring was canted up and covered with a pale green, spongy, moss type growth. She accessed a terminal on the left. This portion of the ship must have remained above tide level to be able to access the terminal at all. It was another partial log entry.

"…always said no. She even threatened a report if I didn't stop sending messages. But now she's so innocent. They all are. And that look she gives when she smiles….It's sure easier now. What's the harm? We're stuck here any—"

Shepard cringed. This was sounding real bad. At least if you were a woman.

"What's the matter, vela?"

She looked up into his blue eyes that mirrored his love and concern. "I'm just disgusted by what I'm hearing. Something happened to these women. Made them lose who they were and the men…they took advantage of it. I can't imagine being at the mercy of a lot of men like…that."

"I would never allow that to happen to you. Ever. We can't stop whatever was done here in the past, but if anyone is still alive we will end it now," Garrus assured her.

"Wonder if women were drugged. Made compliant. Not good. A tragedy if theory correct."

Shepard located another terminal on the far right. She was afraid of what she was going to hear, but knew she had to know it all.

"…crash you can't expect the luxury of due process, but this isn't a military ship. Just bumping the command line up a notch doesn't work. Captain Fairchild knew this crew. His replacement doesn't command the same level of respect. I'm hoping the man has it in him, but I doubt—"

The final terminal she was on the right not to far from where they entered. It was a medical terminal.

"What…what was her name? Sarah? S-Suzanne? My god, I can't remember…I can't remember her face! We need to get out…so I can remember, can think straight. They have to hurry," the doctor said in solemn desperation.

They left the dank hold and the warmth of the sun bathed them once again. He lootdar went off and she salvaged some credits she found buried amongst a bunch of spare parts.

"Repeat: Toxicology alert: Danger of rapid neural decay. Local flora chemically incompatible with human physiology." A VI voice had been alerted to their presence. "Override: Beacon resumed. Pause time, eight years 237 days, seven hours," the VI informed them.

She made her way over to the VI interface. "From the look of it, this beacon's been here awhile. Why would they wait so many years to signal?"

"There was a pause in beacon protocol, eight years, 237 days, seven hours. Pause is recorded as: RECORD DELETED by Acting Captain Ronald Taylor," the VI explained.

Jacob looked at her and shook his head. "That's not right. My father was first officer."

"Who is in command of this ship? Where are the survivors?" she asked the VI.

"Captain Harris Fairchild reported killed following the unscheduled suborbital descent. First Officer Ronald Taylor promoted in field to acting captain."

"But where is he now?" Jacob asked.

"The location of the remaining crew of the Hugo Gernsback is unknown. This beacon has been unattended for several maintenance cycles."

"I assume _unsafe deceleration_ refers to the crash? Give me the details."

"Following an unspecified impact and sublight drive failure, the Hugo Gernsback made an unscheduled descent at 465% of theoretical recommended suborbital velocity. The Hugo Gernsback then decelerated at 782% of theoretical recommended approach velocity, sustaining significant damage to investment and crew."

"When did the beacon become functional?"

"The emergency beacon became functional after 358 days, 12 hours, following the unscheduled suborbital descent of the Hugo Gernsback. Activation was triggered remotely after eight years, 237 days, seven hours, on the authority of acting captain Ronald Taylor. Pause in beacon protocol is recorded as RECORD DELETED."

"You said local food impairs brain function? What are the effects?"

"Impairment of mental function due to chemical imbalance begins within seven days of ingesting local flora, regardless of decontamination or preparation. Impact on higher cognitive abilities and long-term memory is cumulative, but significant within a standard month. It is not known if neural decay is permanent. Data collection was not complete."

"We need to find these people. Let's go."

Jacob turned to her. "My father had a working beacon but didn't signal for nine years. Maybe…that neural decay affected him."

"It must have after so long," Garrus replied.

"Shouldn't eat local flora. Probably had no choice. Inevitable after that long," Mordin said shaking his head.

There were more stacked boxes to the right, so they moved off in that directions. When she'd reached the first set of stacked crates a woman jumped out at her.

"You came from the sky? The leader said someone would come! He delayed for so long, but he still has power! Some have lost faith. The hunters! They will have seen your star. They will not let you help him."

She placed her hand gently on the woman's shoulder. "Who are you? What was your rank on the Gernsback?"

She looked afraid for a moment…then confused. She rubbed her head. "I….can't think. The leaders think for us and we serve….so we can go home. But some want to fight him. They were cast out."

"Vela." Garrus nodded his head to the right.

Shepard saw a man duck behind a cover.

"He exiled them, so they hunt his machines and those that help him. They don't believe that rescue will come," the woman told her.

As more men joined him, the first that had approached pulled out a gun and Shepard gave the woman a gentle push to the ground Her OT glowed briefly when it threw a barrier bubble over her. "Stay down."

"Hunters…they won't stop until the leader is dead," she said looking up at Shepard.

"Kill them! Agents of the liar! He will not escape!"

"We're not here to help him control you. We are here to rescue the survivors." She tried to reason with the man.

"Lies! Kill them all!" the hunter yelled.

A bullet between the eyes ended his tirade. She glanced over at her husband and frowned. He shook his head. Shoot first and ask questions later was his motif regarding her safety. With the ring leader down she at least hoped the others would listen to reason. But they did not. There were only a handful of men and they went down quickly. She wished they'd believed her. It was a tragic waste of life. She released the woman from the protective barrier and told her to get someplace safe.

"Worse than _neural decay_. Suspect mental instability."

"Huh. They were insane!" Garrus agreed.

"My father wouldn't let this go on. Something is very wrong," Jacob said in dismay.

She found another hidden stash of credits. She would make sure any credits she found here were distributed evenly among the survivors. She didn't trust the cleanup crews to do it. They skirted the crates and debris and followed the trail around the bend. She looked out over the cliff to the ocean below and the mountains in the distance. It was too bad this world wasn't inhabitable without terraforming….but still an option if no other sentient beings are found.

They passed a mech lying to the side of the path.

"Stripped for parts, vela. The tech they had with them is wearing out. Those hunters must be laying on the pressure," Garrus pointed out.

At the top of the path people could be seen.

"Is that the settlement? They'd better be friendlier than the beach group. I need answers," Jacob said in frustration. None of this made sense to him. His father might have been gone a lot. But he knew his father was not the type of man to let this happen willingly.

Mordin scanned a couple of the women they saw. "Clearly docile. Same uniform remnants as those who attacked, however."

"If the toxins reduced their intelligence, their survival instincts would have devolved to covering their basic needs: food, shelter, protection of their territory and women." Shepard said, bouncing her hypothesis off Mordin.

"That is one possible theory. Previous female said hunters were exiled. Behavioral or gender-driven?"

"She said the exiled ones came back as hunters," Garrus corrected.

"I'm aware of that. However, if the males were exiled for some other reason besides their protective aggression, then there are far darker connotations at play here."

"It doesn't matter right now. One of these people must know what my father has to do with this!"

"Jacob, everything matters. The deterministic nature of a dynamical system does not, inherently, make it predictable. For instance, an arbitrarily small perturbation of the current trajectory can lead to significantly different future causatums. Damn me. Sorry. What I'm trying to say is that everything is connected, everything ripples, _everything_ matters. Even a mighty warrior can be felled by a tiny stone."

"Chaos Theory, Shepard. Impressed. Live by it myself." Mordin bobbed his head in agreement.

Jacob rolled his eyes and then looked at Garrus. "I don't know how you live with that."

"She makes it worth my while."

She shot her husband a reproachful glare. The look he returned was heated and full of promise. Damn the man.

A couple of women approached. One held up her hand to stop them. "You have his face! He promised to call the sky, but he sends nothing."

"He forced us to eat…to decay. You are cursed with his face!" the other woman said bitterly.

"Not the best reaction to the family resemblance, Jacob," Shepard said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Whatever is happening here ends now," Garrus said with finality.

Shepard approached another woman. "I can't talk to you. I…don't want punishing."

Punishing? This is was looking worse by the minute. They looked up at some monstrous, hideous, statue-like…thing.

"What the hell? Somebody had to push them to make that. That's borderline…worship?" Jacob asked in disgust.

They approached another woman. "He keeps us. Protects us. And we please him like he demands."

Shepard hung her head for a moment. This was all so sick and twisted.

Garrus lifted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. "We will put a stop to this abuse. It ends now. It ends with us," he said, fluttering his mandibles slowly.

Well, that certainly distracted her. "Damn, Garrus. You know I can't resist when you do that." She ran her hand around to the back of his head and pulled him in for a hard kiss before releasing him. She stood up straight. "That man will be lucky if I don't cut off his balls and sell them to a krogan."

She had just picked up another pile of credits when armed mechs barfed up their polite manners and attacked. A few mechs wouldn't have been a problem for any one of them…but with four of them it was a joke.

"Not familiar with a protocol that condones crew suppression via lethal force," Mordin said palming his gun.

"Not exactly a long-term discipline solution," Garrus responded sarcastically.

"It's apparent he doesn't care if they hate him," Jacob replied, rubbing his head in confusion. This was not like his dad. "I need to find out why he is doing this."

A woman stopped them before the entered a narrow path between two outcroppings of stone. "You… have his face…but you fight his…machines. I hope that means you will stop this." She held up a datapad and handed it to Jacob. "This…I forget how to…read, but this…was the start. What he promised and what they did to us. We need the sky. Take us back to the sky."

Jacob turned it on and began accessing the data.

"Jacob?"

"It's a crew logbook. Some of them thought the beacon repair was taking too long. They were afraid they'd run out of supplies and lose their minds to the decay. My father restricted the ship's food for himself and the other officers so that they wouldn't be affected. Everybody else had to eat the toxic food and hope for treatment later. The rest is a casualty list. A few mutinied over the decision. My father and the other officers turned the mechs on them. The beacon was fixed within a year, so the plan must have worked. Why no signal?"

"I don't know, Jacob. It sounds worrisome. Your father wasn't command material. He couldn't control them without violence."

Jacob looked back at the pad and continued reading the data. "It didn't stop there. More incidents… harsh punishments. It's like they are cattle. Or toys. Within a year, all the male members are flagged as exiled or dead. They separated out the women. Assigned them to officers like pets. After the beacon was fixed, the officers appear in the casualties, too...within the same week. After! My father took control and didn't stop it."

Shepard crossed her arms over her chest. "Does it say why he separated the men from the women? Or is it as bad as it seems?"

"No, it turns to gibberish. Maybe the men got violent early on, but from the state of this place, I'd say the hunter thing is recent. What he allowed to happen here, Shepard…I don't see any justification."

"There is no justification for this abuse of power," Garrus said cryptically. "He only activated the beacon now because the men have come for him."

"He let this happen, and now it's biting him in the ass," Jacob said bitterly. "I need to find this…_man_."

Several large crates blocked their path. Shepard put her arm around her husband and Mordin. I'll be right back for you Jacob."

Garrus turned her to face him and shook his head. "Save your strength…you don't know what's up ahead."

"You know blowing up things is just what everyone expects from me," she said with a frown.

Garrus spread his mandibles wide "Then let's not disappoint the masses."

Shepard sighed. "Do you want the honors, Garrus?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

"It's all yours," she said pointing to the downed mech near the crates.

Everyone else stepped back a good distance while he rigged the mech to explode and then joined them. Her husband shielded her as she put up a kinetic barrier bubble around them all. Debris bounced of the bubble and she gave them a bright smile. They all just stared at her. She looked around, but didn't notice anything that would have captured their attention. "Did I sprout another head or something?"

"Or something," Jacob said. The men cleared their throats and laughed.

"What-" she began…

"This is Captain Ronald Taylor. Thank god you're here! My crew went insane. I only just got free."

"Goddamnit!" Jacob said in disgust. "It's really him. Just got free? He's covering his ass."

As they continued up the path they noticed something on the side of the trail. Up close they could make out the dead bodies.

"Old dead left posed. Possibly a warning? Recent corpses left where they fell," Mordin said shaking his head.

At the top of the trail they could see more large crates and a fire raged to the side.

"Hostiles up ahead!" Garrus warned.

They pulled their guns. Shepard jumped, the disks slid from her boots and she flew to the first large crate, and ducked behind it. Jacob pulled three of the mechs towards them. Damn but she hated when he did that. Jacob liked to fight up close, that's why he carried a shotgun. But, her? Not so much. She really needed someone to teach him some more moves. While the men were focusing on blowing the flying mechs, that had flown right over her head, to bits, she grabbed her bats, amped incinerate and cryo, jumped up, flicked her wrists, coiling one around its neck, the other around its body and pulled. The mech's head flew in one direction, its body another. Now that was fun.

"Careful, I automated my defenses after the crew turned violent. They kept attacking. I had no choice," Ronald warned them.

"He had plenty of choices. A little late to blame his victims," Jacob said in disgust.

She darted over to a large generator and ducked behind a convenient cover as mechs started coming at her from the left. She released Grim and told him to go have some fun. Garrus made his way to her side and ducked behind the cover with her. He gave her a quick kiss, jumped up and overloaded an oncoming mech.

Mordin and Jacob spread out. Garrus saw his wife rip another mech in two with her whips. "That had to hurt!"

They cleaned out that wave and Shepard darted around her cover to another one facing the trail up ahead. A new wave of mechs were coming at them from that direction. But they seemed uncoordinated…one even walked right off the side of the cliff. Grim shot around the bend and back into view. Way to go little guy. "Have at 'em if you want them.." She hopped up, followed her lootdar and let her team mop of the remaining, blinded mechs.

She collected the credits and scanned some data, hoping it might prove useful later. She turned to head back to her team and walked into Garrus. He wrapped one arm around her and lifted her chin up with his other hand. He dropped a kiss on her lips.

"I had to keep them busy, distracted, but it's getting dangerous. Thank god you've come!" Ronald Taylor told them over a loud speaker.

Jacob was fuming. How could this man…this monster be related to him. "He had his fun, and now he wants out. Son of a bitch."

The path further up was even more beautiful. The rocky shoreline, the mountains, the ocean, the palm trees…This planet was a paradise…if something could be done with it. The path finally came to the entrance of a compound. A couple of mechs attacked…yawn…

"It took years to train my guards. I'm afraid you'll have to fight them to rescue me," Ronald broadcasted.

"Throwing people away. This…_thing_…is not my father," Jacob sneered in revulsion.

Her lootdar directed her to some more credits stashed in a piece of discarded machinery. She picked up additional Arc ammo and slipped through the compound's front gate. She darted to a large metal wall and peeked around it. Primarily men.

When the bullets started flying she allowed herself to attack. Her OTs flashed as she sent wave after wave of incinerate followed by cryo on anything that moved. There was one pesky guy hiding between a tree and a bridge that managed to avoid everything she'd sent at him. She was about to go in after him when she heard a YMIR approaching. She grabbed her Viper, ducked out and shot three bullets at its head. She darted back behind the metal wall. A rocket detonated against the wall and it barely registered the impact. "Going dark!" She jumped, her boots slid out of her boots and she flew in around the large YMIR and ripped out its power cell. It folded itself into a squat and deactivated. She scanned the compound. Only the one hidden man left. She headed further in. The man jumped out of hiding when he saw her and took aim. Grim circled the man, fired a cryo bolt at him. Her OT flashed then dimmed. The man toppled to the ground, a small neat hole in his head.

Garrus caught up to his wife, ran his talons through her hair and pulled her in for a heated kiss. "I wasn't going to take a chance, vela," he whispered into her ear. He felt her shiver in response. He ran his tongue along the shell of her ear and nipped her lobe between his mouth plates.

"Garrus…" she moaned.

"Enough with the toys…I need to look my father in the eye and hear him try to justify this," Jacob said in outrage.

Garrus sighed and released his wife. He looked down into her flushed face, her desire filled eyes and kiss swollen lips. He had to have more. He traced his tongue along her lips; she captured it and sucked it into her mouth. He groaned and gave into it.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "My father first, Shepard…orgy later."

Shepard sighed, ended the kiss and stepped back. "Let's do this then." She nabbed some credits from a data pad and entered the living quarters of the compound. She snapped the gun to her back and approached the lone man.

Ronald turned to them when he heard them come near. "You're here! I knew a real squad would blow through just fine. Sorry if the mechs scuffed your pads."

Shepard walked to the railing and looked out over the inlet.

"I'll get you something nice when we get back to Alliance space. I've got to have some back-pay coming," he told her.

"Won't be necessary," she said crisply.

"What about your crew, Acting Captain?" Jacob said bitterly as he looked at his father.

Ronald turned to him. "Total loss. The toxic food turned them wild. They propped me up here in some kind of ritual behavior. Waiting for a chance to signal has been hell."

"Is that how you're going to play this?" Jacob asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"You let all your people talk back like that…uh…who are you, exactly?"

"I'm a Spectre. You're running a very questionable setup here, Captain. Explain."

"Of course. It was chaos after the crash, and the crew never really accepted me as captain. They rebelled and trapped us here. Once they started to eat the toxic food, I couldn't control them, and I couldn't get to the beacon."

"Just stop. We know what you did to your crew. Why let this go on for ten years?" The derision thick in his voice.

"Who the hell _are_ you?" Ronald asked in exasperation.

Jacob walked up to his father. "Taylor. Lieutenant Jacob Taylor."

Ronald was shocked. "Jacob? My Jacob?"

"Not who you expected to see, Captain?" Shepard asked drolly.

Ronald turned his head to look at her. "I was hoping not to have to explain this to him. Or anyone, really." He turned back to his son. "You have to understand. This isn't me. The realities of command, they change you. I wasn't ready for that."

"I'm not biting, Captain. At some point, you chose to do this to your crew. You!" Shepard said, barely able to contain her ire. Selling this man's testicles to a krogan was looking more and more appealing.

"When was that moment?" Jacob asked his father. "I want to know that there was an actual reason."

"Vela.." Garrus nodded in the direction of a man who had just walked in.

Ronald turned away from his son and took Shepard's place at the railing. He couldn't bear to look at his son while telling his story. "There was resistance to the plan. Mutiny. We had to take a hard line to keep order. And things settled down. As the decay set in, we made sure the crew were comfortable. Some even seemed happier. Ignorance is bliss, right? And they were grateful for guidance, like an instinct. Pure authority was…easy. At first. Months in, the effect lowered inhibitions. They got territorial. Rank, protocol—they couldn't understand anymore. We had to establish dominance. After a while the perks seemed…normal."

Two more men had joined the first. Shepard was keeping an eye on them.

"That's it? You created a harem and played king? Ten years in a juvenile fantasy?"

"I can't point to where it all went wrong. But when the beacon was ready, revealing what happened didn't seem like a good idea."

"What happened to the other officers?" Shepard asked.

"Anders found his conscience a little late to step back. He had an….accident. Things got…tense. End of the day, I was the one with the mechs. I got a little basic setting examples, but I was kind to my people once things settled down. Seemed like I'd earned some peace."

"You fought over people like they were toys. Things!" Jacob interrupted.

"You had to know this would end one day, the food from the ship couldn't last forever," Shepard pointed out.

"Dining for one can really stretch things out. Besides, I can think of a lot worse retirement plans than stripping down and joining the droolers. That was before the hunters, of course. Dumb or not, I'd feel it if they got their hands on me now. They want blood. I'd prefer to keep it," Ronald replied.

"It's all about you. Everything." Jacob could barely contain his anger and loathing of the man who sired him.

Shepard thought about soothing Jacob with a touch, but in the end she knew he had a right to his emotions. What was done here was unforgivable. "You didn't care enough about your family to want to leave?"

"I gave him a good start. He was a smart kid and was better off not knowing me. We figured that out a long time before I took jobs in deep space. And, after things escalated here, it seemed best to just disappear off the galactic map."

"Until you needed someone to save your pathetic ass!" Jacob said shaking his head.

"He treated these people no better than animals, vela. There's only so many times you can kick a thing before it fights back." Garrus wanted nothing more than to put a bullet between the man's eyes…but that would be too easy. He deserved so much more. This _man_ had no remorse.

"We will help these people. We'll drop off a ration of food and have EDI send an anonymous tip to the Alliance. They will be here soon and get everyone out of here."

Jacob pulled his gun on his father. "He's not worth the fuel to haul him out, or the air he's breathing. He's damned lucky I don't even think he's worth pulling the trigger." He lowered his gun. "I don't know who you are. Because you're not any father I remember. The man who did this doesn't know right from wrong."

"I can pull the trigger if you like…It even crossed my mind to cut off his testicles and sell them to the krogan…but I have a better alternative. Suppose we go arrange pickup for the rest of the survivors while the acting captain deals with the hole we punched through his mechs."

Garrus chuckled. "Remind me never to get on your bad side, vela."

Shepard shot him a droll look. "You weasel out of that easily enough, Vakarian."

"Now wait. I'm supposed to get rescued. The crazy ones, you don't know what they'll do to me."

"Untrue. Intentions easy to predict. Just don't care," Mordin said matter of fact.

Jacob looked at Shepard. "My father was a different man, Shepard. A good man. Wish I'd found him." He turned his back on his father and walked away.

"Jacob?" His father cried out.

Jacob turned to face his sire. "You were a better man dead. As far as I'm concerned, you still are." He turned his back on him again. This time he did not look back.

"Jacob!" Ronald yelled in panic. He turned his head in time to see a fist with his name written on it.

When they stepped out of the compound, Shepard commed EDI. "EDI, arrange to have a store of food and some fresh water sent planetside. When it's arrived, I want you to send Anderson and Hackett a comm and let them know about the Gernsback survivors; they need an immediate pickup. Make sure they know of the toxic food and to send medical backup."

"Right away, Shepard."

While they were waiting on the food to be delivered, Shepard had her crew gather up some of the local food and fauna for research. She also had Chakwas and a medical team come down to help Mordin take care of the survivors. She had EDI create a Gernsback fund account and transferred the credits she had found, plus a hefty donation from her own account. She instructed EDI to have the account turned over to Anderson with the instructions to have it split between the survivors and to make sure he checks into any back pay they are owed.

When they got word that the Alliance would be here within a day she began having her teams pull out. She assured the survivors that ships would be here soon to pick them up. She also told them about the account she had set up so they would not have to worry about their immediate future.

They never went back to check on Ronald. When the men eventually joined the survivors, no questions were asked.

"Commander Shepard, we cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for us. We will not forget your kindness."

Shepard smiled through round after round of hugs and was finally able to make her goodbyes and returned to the Normandy.

"Alliance ships are inbound, Commander. We should probably disappear."

Shepard couldn't agree more. "Don't even give them the taillights."

"Roger that," Joker replied with a chuckle.

When she walked into the debriefing room, she noticed that Jacob was in a comm with TIM. They discovered that it had been Miranda and not TIM that had leaked the Gernsback information. Miranda said she'd passed along the information to keep an old promise she had made to Jacob.

"Are you okay, Jacob?"

"My father's been dead a long time, Shepard. His body just has some catching up to do. But I want to thank you for seeing to this matter and helping me to finally get some closure."

"I'm just glad I could help, Jacob."

Shepard returned to her cabin, she had programming she still needed to do. Knowing his wife would be busy for awhile, Garrus headed for the forward batteries and the calibrations that awaited him there.

No time like the present, Zaeed thought as he marched into the forward batteries. His eyes scanned the room until they settled on his target. "I need to say something to you, Vakarian, and you're going to listen."

Garrus sighed. He had expected to hear from Zaeed sooner or later. He snapped the panel back on the canon's interface and turned to face the grizzled merc. "If you're here because of what you thought you saw, then you can leave. What happens between my wife and I is not your concern," Garrus said coldly.

"It's my goddamn concern if I see it. I've done a lot of things in my life that I'm not proud of, Vakarian. But I've never hurt a woman – at least not one that wasn't trying to kill me. What I saw, what you did to her, is unacceptable and inexcusable! I won't let it continue!" he said, his voice rising in anger. "I don't care if it is normal for turians to abuse their wives, but I won't goddamn stand for it! If I _ever _hear of you abusing the Commander again, I will kick the shit out of your goddamn bony ass, until you learn how to treat a woman with respect!" he seethed, shoving his finger in the turian's face.

Garrus stood up straighter. "I respect that woman more than you will _ever_ know! There is nothing I wouldn't do for her! No turian would_ ever_ abuse their wife, let alone their lifemate! They would be branded and imprisoned for doing so. While I respect that you are trying to protect her…that is my job!"

"Then _do_ your goddamn job!" Zaeed seethed, his face mottled with rage. "Because, if you can't - you can be goddamn sure I will! You may protect her from her enemies, but it is apparent someone needs to protect her from **you**!"

"You don't know what you saw, Zaeed! It was not what it looked like - "

"Wasn't it? I saw the tears and pain on her face! I saw you rutting into like a wild animal! I know what I saw and I won't let you treat her like that!" he said, stabbing a finger into the turian's hard carapace.

Garrus knocked his hand away. "Back off, Zaeed! I was marking my wife, not raping her! Turians mark their mate with a bite. It is not a choice; we don't _choose_ to do it, our bodies force us to. You are not turian, you do not know what we go through. So, don't you dare judge me just because you can't understand!" Garrus rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Look, Zaeed…I love my wife, I would rather die than hurt her. Talk to her, if it will help. Hell, she'll probably be able to explain turian courtship better than I can."

Zaeed shot a hard look at the turian and nodded, before turning away. When the door slid open, he looked back at the turian. "I've got my eye on you…treat her right." Goddamned turians, he mumbled to himself as the door closed behind him.

"Always," Garrus said softly as he watched the merc leave.

Chapter 33

Tali's Interlude

The next few days the squad spent a lot of time training…guns, sparring and improving biotics. She didn't know exactly what they were going to be facing, but she wanted everyone to be as strong as possible.

She had the biotics gather for daily training. Each was responsible for teaching the others the biotic powers they excelled at. Thus, she hoped that each individual would be made stronger by broadening what each was capable of. Not to mention, she was desperate to have someone teach Jacob how to throw or slam a body, rather than yank it into their faces… or worse if they end up being flanked by someone pulled towards them. He was starting to develop some proficiency with throwing, and he could throw pretty hard… but he wasn't so great at aiming the throw. Samara was skilled with Reave, so she worked on teaching the other biotics how to use that power. Jack picked it up rather quickly. Her Reave ability was light still, but there… and Shepard wondered if they would eventually regret that. Jacob was having no luck whatsoever and she thought that perhaps it may just be too aggressive for his nature. That was unfortunate, because Reave could set off his pull wave and detonate beautifully. Perhaps time was all he needed.

Jacob was ready to scream and had dreams of throttling his commander and Samara until the first explosion rocked the simulator. He threw his arm up and yelled at his victory. He picked Shepard up and spun her around. His lips found hers in a kiss. Her mouth was firmly sealed against him and he stilled when he realized what he had done. "Sorry, Shepard...I got a little carried away. It won't happen again."

"I understand the excitement of learning something new, Jacob. I'm so proud of you. You did great!"

He held his hand up and she high-fived him.

She had Jack work with the others on their shockwaves. She wanted to build up Jack's confidence by showing trust in her ability. She was actually impressed with Jack. She had half expected her to go ape if someone didn't catch on to manipulating shockwaves quick enough, but she was surprisingly more patient than expected. She also had them work on endurance and speed as well as defenses such as self raising and lowering, barriers and stasis bubbles. Their proficiency as a well rounded biotic unit was growing exponentially.

Overall, the biotic's program was going rather well. There were a few flare-ups between Jack and Miranda, but Shepard and Samara had agreed that the two should not be allowed to actually spar against each other. If they split into pairs Samara usually bit the bullet and took on Jack. Jack appeared to have some level of respect for the justicar.

During one of her rounds she caught Tali pacing. She seemed a bit agitated and worked up.

"What's the matter, Tali?"

"I don't know, Shepard. I just feel like I want to crawl out of my skin and scream."

When her friend began to fidget and pace again, Shepard grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stop. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Tali sighed. No, there were definitely things she could not tell her friend. "I know that, Shepard. It's just…there's Ken & Gabby, you & Garrus, Jacob & Kasumi, Zaeed & Samara - at least in Zaeed's mind, even Miranda & Jack – as crazy as that sounds. And then there's…"

"You."

"Yes…me. I'm just, I don't know…frustrated because I want you.." Tali froze in horror.

"It's okay, Tali…I understand what you're trying to say."

"You do?" she squeaked.

"Sure, you're um…lonely. I get it. I'm sorry if I've not been there enough for you, Tali. It seems I have failed you."

Tali shook her head and placed her hand upon Shepard's cheek. "No! Shepard, you've always been there for me. You haven't failed me. This is my problem to work through, not yours. I know you want to help, but there are just some things…some things I need to do on my own."

Shepard pulled her friend in for a hug. Tali clung tightly to her for a moment before backing away. "I'm always here if you need me, Tali." Shepard turned to leave and then paused. "Tali?…comm Reegar. I think he will want to talk to you. Just give him a small push; that's all it will take. He likes you." Shepard said, giving her a knowing wink.

Tali blushed, thankful that her suit hid what those words did to her. She loved Shepard, maybe because she'd saved her so long ago...or maybe just because of everything she was. But she also knew nothing would ever come of those feelings. The feelings she felt for Reegar at least had a chance of maybe developing into something beautiful…if Shepard was right. And Shepard was never wrong about things like this. "Thank you, maybe I'll do that," Tali said as Shepard disappeared through the door.

Tali hopped the elevator down to the bottom floor and made a mad dash to her clean room. When she had told Shepard she would be joining her soon on Freedom's Progress, Shepard had cleared out a small cargo area and installed decontamination and sterilization equipment so Tali would have a clean room so that she would be able to remove her suit and be comfortable. It was just one of the many thoughtful gestures that made Tali love Shepard so much. It was lonely in her room, but she had a freedom she rarely got to experience outside of the flotilla's clean rooms. Like the airlock on the Normandy, there was a small decontamination area that opened up into her quarters. Her friends could enter only if they were suited up.

The doors to her quarters opened up when the decontamination program finished. When the door swished closed behind her she popped the release on her mask and gave a sigh of relief. Getting in and out of her suit was a pain…but a very welcome one. Since she had joined Shepard's crew with only the suit on her back, Shepard had seen to it that she had a small closet filled with clothes and even an extra suit. She was stunned when Shepard had included quarian food on the menu. Real quarian food. Not having to eat the standard filtered turian nutri-paste meant so much to her. Tali had never met a more thoughtful, generous or loving person in her life.

She slipped into comfortable clothing and sighed. She commed Reegar and left a message. There was a small chime and she looked curiously at the door leading to the decontamination chamber. Nobody ever came without comming first. When the door slid open no one was there. Odd. She moved to check out the entry chamber. A small box was sitting in the middle of the chamber. She picked it up, sat down on her cot and opened it. She looked curiously at the strange item nestled in silky material. It looked something like a knife and was both hard and soft to the touch. She pushed the button and it vibrated in her hand. She laid it down on her cot and it started moving with the force of the vibrations. She hit the button again and shut it off. What was she supposed to do with that? She looked back at the box and noticed a small slip of paper. She opened it up and read the instructions and looked at the diagram. Oh my. Tali picked it up and pushed the button. Vibrations flew down her arm. Oh my. She laughed so hard she started crying. Leave it to Shepard. She now had a b.o.b. of her own.

Well, why the hell not? She settled back to see what all the hoopla was about. She removed her pants and lay back on the bed in nothing but her shirt. She nearly jumped off the bed at the first touch and dialed down the intensity. Ooh my. Her OT beeped just as an orgasm stole her breath away. She moved the vibrator out of sight range and sat up, flipping it on. A suited Reegar popped up on her screen.

Reegar sucked in his breath. He'd never seen Tali without her suit on. She was stunning. Her face was lightly flushed and her eyes were full of desire. He felt himself harden and tried to come to grips with what she made him feel. She was an admiral's daughter. He had no business feeling anything for her. She was way out of his league…out of his reach. "What can I help you with, ma'am?" His voice rough with an emotion he didn't want to think about.

"I told you to call me Tali, Reegar."

"Yes, ma'am….I'll work on that."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes….Tali," he said softly.

"That's more like it….Kal," she said, loving the sound of her name rolling off his lips. Tali swallowed the lump in her throat. She chewed on her lower lip as she considered what she wanted to tell him.

"Can I do something for you, m-Tali?" Reegar watched her chew her lip and wondered what her lips would feel like…taste like. Now that he knew what she looked like it was going to be even harder to get her out of his mind. He'd been thinking a lot about her since their time on Haestrom. He had a lot of respect for her; she'd proven herself very capable. But he also had other feelings he didn't have a right to have.

"Yes, Kal…you can. At least I hope you can." She licked her lips nervously. Here goes nothing. I hope like hell you're right Shepard. She didn't relish embarrassing them both for nothing. But she was also not one to let life just pass her by when she could charge it head on. "Do you think you could ever see me as a woman Kal…and not just an admiral's daughter?"

Reegar was stunned. Of all the things she could have said, he would never have expected that. Was it possible she felt something for him too? How should he answer? He knew his place….or at least thought he did. Should he gamble on what she might have meant by that question? What if he just embarrassed them both? What if he was taking what she said wrong?

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Kal," she said, taking his silence as rejection. "I hadn't meant to. If all you want is friendship, I'm okay with that. But you can never know unless you ask, right? So, please…forgive a woman for her foolishness. I'm glad to see you are doing well. It's been good to hear your voice, Kal. I'll let you go. Stay safe." She disconnected them. She sighed and rubbed her face. No harm done. I guess Shepard can't be right about all things.

She took b.o.b. to her small sink, cleaned it and nestled it back into the silken box. She placed the box in her bedside table. She and b.o.b. were going to become best of friends. Though thanking Shepard might prove a bit awkward. She took a moment to use the toilet, a thankful reprieve from having to use those particular suit functions. Her OT beeped. She flipped it on and found a handsome man looking at her.

"You disconnected too fast…Tali. But it gave me a chance to get to my quarters. I wanted you to be able to see the man behind the mask."

Kal! Hot damn he was more gorgeous than she could have imagined. "Wow. You're more beautiful than I could have imagined." Her hand flew to her mouth. She hadn't meant to say that. She wasn't sure who was blushing more…him or her. "Damn it. I'm sorry, Kal. I hadn't meant to say that out loud."

Kal felt the heat spread up his face. He was embarrassed at the compliment…though, it pleased him that she found him attractive. "Yes, well…thank you. But you are the beautiful one…not I," he said flushing darker. "I did not think you were being foolish." He looked down, rubbed his hand over his cheeks, and then looked back at her. "You've been on my mind a lot since Haestrom. Too much. I felt things for you I had no right to feel. I never dared to hope you might…care about me," he admitted. "But time is too short and uncertain. If you feel anything towards me, I would like to…"

Tali smiled. "I do have feelings for you, Kal," she interrupted him. "If you are willing, I would like to explore our feelings and see where it takes us."

"Damn straight I'm willing," Kal said with a smile. He turned around, dug through a cabinet and popped a canister into the port of his suit. He removed it and then inserted a second.

"Are you okay, Kal?" She was unable to keep the concern from her voice.

"Um…yes." He flushed. "Nerve-stim pro and immunoboost pro," he admitted shyly. He probably should have waited to start them, but he had been too excited.

"I've already started them myself…" she noticed his questioning glance and gave him a warm smile. "A girl can be hopeful."

"Just so you know…I intend to kiss you when we meet up again. You have tormented me in my dreams for too long," Kal said matter of fact. He hoped he didn't scare her off, but he knew his feelings were written all over his face.

Tali gasped at the heated look he gave her. To see the naked longing on his face and to know that he dreamed about her buckled her knees and she sank heavily onto her bed. "You had better Kal, because if you don't …I _will_ kiss you….and I cannot promise to stop at a kiss."

Kal groaned. He could swear all the blood in his body had flooded into his groin. Damn suit wasn't made for all that she was making him feel. "As much as I may want more than a kiss, I will not make love to you until you can love me back. I will not cheapen what we have between us with anything less."

Tali's heart flipped and soared. The attraction that she'd felt for him during their trip to Haestrom, the feelings that developed the weeks they were there, the heartache she'd felt thinking he'd been killed. The elation at seeing him alive. The growing feelings and dreams she'd had since leaving him behind… Those beautiful words had sealed his fate….because she realized she did love him. "I do love you, Kal…I just hadn't realized how much until now," she admitted with a quiet certainty. She might love Shepard and to some degree Garrus…but they could never have given her what she needed. If Kal wanted it, her heart was his for the taking. "My heart belongs to you…if you want it. But if you take it, then you better cherish it, because it can break easily," she warned him.

Kal felt his knees begin to quake and he sat down before they gave out on him. "I could never hurt you, Tali. I love you. The thought of you hurting would tear me apart. You've had my heart since Haestrom…you just didn't know it. Your captain saved us both that day. I owe her a lot."

"So do I. And I'm so very glad that she is never wrong about this kind of thing. Kal…do you have an undersuit on?"

"What do you mean? And yes, why?" he asked in confusion.

"Then take your suit off. I'd like to think you were as comfortable as I am. And what I mean is this…_Us_. She encouraged me to comm you….she knew I had feelings for you…she told me you liked me too. So, I decided to take the chance that she might be right…that you might feel for me what I felt for you. I'm so very glad I took her advice."

"Your captain sees a lot. And I owe her far more than I thought. You have a clean room onboard the Normandy?" he asked as he detached himself from the suit and pulled it off. Keelah, that was better. He was no longer crushed in that damned cup.

"Yes, Shepard has provided me with everything I could possibly want. A clean room, clothes, a new suit, even quarian food. I don't have to eat paste! Plus, she helped us find each other. She is so much more than the capable soldier she is portrayed as. There is no one alive with a bigger heart or more generous soul. She would do anything for anyone regardless what it cost her. If her lifemate had hair, he'd be pulling it out on a daily basis," she said with a laugh.

"You love her, don't you?" he asked quietly.

Tali was still for a moment. "Of course I do. She is my best friend. She is family to me. I will always love her."

Kal was pretty sure that Shepard meant more to her than she let on, but he would leave it at that. She had given him her heart and he had no intention of returning it. "Wait…she has a lifemate?"

"Yeah. Garrus Vakarian. He is the turian you met on Haestrom. Garrus served with us aboard the original Normandy. I always knew they'd end up together. They were just so blind to how the other felt. Joker, our pilot even set up a betting pool on when they'd get together. I lost," she said laughing sadly at the memory. "I had thought about setting them each straight. Everyone could see how they felt about each other, but in the end…I didn't. She helped us find each other. If I could go back, I would change things. I would give her the gift she gave me…open eyes. That is why I was so direct with you. Life is uncertain and time too fleeting to waste a single minute of it." She propped up her pillow and leaned back against the wall, resting her arm with the open OT screen across her belly so she could talk to him more comfortably.

"Damn. I'm still in shock over the lifemate thing. I've never known anyone who has met their lifemate. I honestly didn't even believe in them. The idea seems so…impossible."

"It's Shepard, Kal…anything is possible."

"Yes, I suppose you are right." He reached out and put his hand near her face in front of the screen. He smiled when she put her hand on his. He wished he could feel her.

"I wish I could touch you," she whispered.

Kal watched her nipples harden beneath her thin shirt. "Tali…you might want to…your shirt…it's um-"

"Bothering you? Okay. I'll take care of it."

The screen bounced around a moment and when things came back into focus Kal swallowed his tongue. Tali had removed her shirt and her breasts were thrusting towards him, her nipples puckered and tight. He felt himself swell. Damn. He was so hard he was afraid he was going to lose it. "Are you trying to kill me?" he asked, his voice strained and hoarse.

"No, but I was getting hot thinking about you touching me…about touching you. Will you take your shirt off for me? If I can't touch you at least I can have more fulfilling dreams." The screen bounced around and then settled. Tali marveled at the play of his muscles as he laid the shirt next to him on his bed. She ran her hand down the small screen, wishing she could feel him beneath her fingers. She was aching to feel him against her. Her muscles clenched. She was so close…If she could lose herself just looking at him and talking to him…what was it going to be like when he actually touched her? "Say something, Kal…anything. I'm so close to coming…just say something," she implored him breathlessly.

Kal's eyes opened wide. His shaft jerked in response and grew heavy. Damn. His woman had claws and he couldn't wait to feel them. "I want to run my tongue across your lips and taste your kisses. To feel your fingers caress my skin and hear your moans when my tongue flicks over your tight nipple before I draw it deep into my mouth…oh damn, Tali…I'm going to lose it if I don't stop."

"Kal, if you stop talking I'm going to have to touch myself. I'm too close to stop it and I want _you_ to make me come."

Her flushed skin, unfocused eyes and panting breaths spoke how close she truly was. He would give anything to be there right now. "Tali, I'm so hard for you right now I can't even think straight. I want to run my hands over your body, hold tight to your hips and rub myself against your heat until you beg me to come inside you. Would you beg me, Tali?"

"Yes, Kal…yes...come inside me."

"I would push into you slowly, feeling your heat stretch around me, hugging me tightly within you." He watched as her climax took her …her head fell back, her body stiffened and she cried out with the force of it. Oh damn…His balls tightened and he cried out with his own release. He was surprised that he wasn't embarrassed by his loss of control. Maybe it was her own ease or his feelings for her, but he felt no shame over his response to her. He used his shirt to clean up and tossed it on a pile of clothes he needed to wash.

When he returned his attention to the screen he met her eyes. She looked like she had been well loved. "I love you, Tali," he said earnestly, hoping she knew how much he meant it. How much she meant to him. He melted at her shy smile. That she could be so feisty and yet still be shy was adorable.

"I love you too, Kal."

They spent the rest of the night talking about everything, from childhood to the missions they'd been on that weren't classified. When she finally fell asleep in mid-sentence, Kal continued to watch her for a few minutes. She looked so beautiful…so innocent when she slept. He heard her whisper his name and his heart swelled with love. "Sweet dreams, my love." He sighed and broke the connection so her OT wouldn't stay on all night.

He owed Shepard so much. Both for his life on Heastrom and for the woman that he loved. He never would have pursued Tali, duty and status would have kept him from doing so… regardless of his feelings for her. And he would have missed out on the best thing that had ever happened to him.


End file.
